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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27291895">Epilogue</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/DominusMortis/pseuds/DominusMortis'>DominusMortis</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Harry Potter and Why He Should Never Be Left Unsupervised [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Children, Epilogue, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff, Growing Up, Hogwarts, Just a nice little ending, M/M, Marriage, Proposals, Through the Years, and beyond, eighth year</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 18:06:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>28,251</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27291895</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/DominusMortis/pseuds/DominusMortis</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Some glimpses into the lives of our favourite characters as they grow older. </p><p>Just a last addition to wrap the entire story up xx</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Fred Weasley/Original Female Character(s), Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Harry Potter and Why He Should Never Be Left Unsupervised [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1789387</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>58</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter One</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hiya lovelies. This is the last instalment of this series :( but thank you to all those who have followed it from the start, found it along the way, or are just discovering it now. I appreciate all the kudos and comments you leave and really hope you enjoy this cute little ending! Well-wishes to everyone and Happy Halloween!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>May 1998 </strong>
</p><p> </p><p>Sarah’s hands were clammy as she clasped them tightly in her lap. The quiet sound of Fred’s voice echoed across the large, open field, even the birds and insects had remained silent today.</p><p>“…he was – he was – <em>the best</em> man I knew. He – <em>Georgie</em> – he wanted to do so much – so much – “</p><p>Fred broke off and took a shuddering breath.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” he choked. “I can’t – I can’t do this – “</p><p>Sarah was out of her seat in an instance.</p><p>Crossing the few steps between them, she put a hand around Fred’s waist and smiled sadly up at him. He gripped her, his face contorted with the effort of not breaking down right then and there.</p><p>“Fred wrote some beautiful words,” she announced to the sombre guests. “I would like to read them to you.”</p><p>She knew his speech off by heart, she had helped him write it these last few painstaking days.</p><p>“George was a brilliant man who saw so much joy and opportunity for fun in a world plagued by darkness,” she recited softly. “He was always ready to do a prank or go for an adventure. He was someone you could always rely on. He would drop everything to help a friend. George was more than just a friend, a brother, a son” – Sarah looked toward the front row where Mr and Mrs Weasley were sitting, crying silently into handkerchiefs – “he was an individual who thrived in his job, his <em>passion</em>. He was someone who was always known as half of a pair but he was his own truly unique person. He was a genius, a prankster, a confidant” – she turned to Fred and gripped his hands tightly in her own – “and an equal. The world lost such a bright light. But he died protecting us all from unimaginable horrors. He died so that we could all live in a peaceful world. One in which we could raise our children and have them know nothing but comfort and safety. He was a hero, both in life and in death.”</p><p>Sarah finished speaking and hugged Fred tightly to her as quiet applause surrounded them. She pulled back and smiled tearfully at the small crowd.</p><p>“I’d actually like to add something,” she said, wiping her eyes. “George wouldn’t want this to be a morbid, sad event. I’m sure that wherever he is, he’s looking down at all of us just <em>itching </em>to cause some havoc.” A few scattered laughs sounded. “That’s why I actually brought something with me.” She reached into her pocket and smiled reassuringly at the slightly wary guests. “Don’t worry, it’s not anything dangerous. It’s a Pygmy Puff.” She withdrew it from her pocket and displayed it so everyone could see. It was a horrendous bright green with a lopsided red mark on its chin. Two tufts of fur on its head made it look like it had horns. “Hideous little thing, isn’t he? George made him for me not long after Fred and I started officially dating. I never told anyone about him, because it was George's and my secret. He said that he wanted to give me something that reflected who I really was.” She smirked wryly at the ugly ball of fluff. “I wasn’t sure if I was meant to be offended or not until he explained further. He said that, no matter what happened in life, I could look at LS and remember that I may be soft and fluffy on the inside, but on the outside, I’ll always be a horrid little snake.” Laughter burst from the crowd as Fred stared at her incredulously. “I obviously hexed George tremendously at that, he couldn’t walk straight for a week” – more laughter, now mingled with renewed sobs – “The point is that no matter how dark or scary life gets, you always have the ability to make yourself or someone else smile, but only if you let yourself. Regardless of how offensive it may be. George would want us all to live our lives to fullest and to not get stuck on the bad times. Remember George and smile. And then make someone else smile.”</p><p>Fred engulfed her in a tight embrace as people began approaching the front to pay their respects. Mrs Weasley nearly suffocated Sarah in her teary hug before turning to her son.</p><p>“Why did you call the Puff LS?” Charlie’s voice suddenly said.</p><p>Sarah turned around to see him standing with Bill, Percy, Ron, Harry, Draco, Hermione and Ginny.</p><p>Sarah smirked at him. “It’s short for ‘Little Shit’. Now every time I look at him I remember how much of a little shit George was for pulling a trick like that.”</p><p>Charlie stared at her for a moment before erupting into booming laughter. Soon, all the Weasleys and Sarah, Draco, Harry and Hermione were in tears from laughter instead of sadness.</p><p>“Georgie would be proud,” Fred said, once they had all calmed down a bit. “He probably would have been pissed if we all just sat around crying and moping at his funeral.”</p><p>“Do you want to go say goodbye?” Sarah asked him.</p><p>Fred nodded and took her hand, leading her to where George’s coffin lay, a dark, gleaming wood stark against the cream surroundings.</p><p>“Goodbye, you little shit,” Sarah murmured, kissing her fingers and placing them on the coffin.</p><p>Fred huffed a wet laugh and whispered, “Goodbye buddy. I love you.”</p><p>The rest of the funeral passed extremely quickly and before she knew it, Sarah was standing at the kitchen of the Burrow, watching out the window as the Weasley boys finished filling in George’s grave. Fred had chosen to have him buried beneath a favourite tree of theirs; apparently, there had been an incident when they were children where they climbed the tree and George had fallen out, claiming that he was dying when in reality he had a tiny scratch on his knee. Fred had thought it was fitting.</p><p>“Thank you for today.”</p><p>Sarah turned to see Mrs Weasley behind her, two cups of steaming tea in her hands.</p><p>“You don’t have to thank me,” Sarah replied, accepting the cup.</p><p>Mrs Weasley sighed heavily, her eyes tearing up as she watched her family bury her son.</p><p>“A mother should never have to bury her child,” she whispered.</p><p>Sarah linked her arm with Mrs Weasley’s and leaned into her side, offering silent comfort.</p><p>“You’re allowed to not be strong right now,” Sarah told Mrs Weasley softly. “Let us look after you for once, Molly.”</p><p>Mrs Weasley smiled tearily and held Sarah tighter as the boys finished outside. Slowly, they trooped inside and, heads down and eyes red-rimmed. Sarah led Mrs Weasley to a seat at the kitchen table where Harry, Draco, Hermione and Ginny were already sitting. With Hermione’s help, cups of tea were passed around in the heavy silence, no one wanting to break the gentle calm that had settled over the family. Sarah gripped Fred’s hand in hers and held on tightly.</p><p>Their lives were only just beginning.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter Two</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>July 1998</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>“Sarah, get down here!”</p><p>Sirius’s shout from downstairs made Sarah jump and hit her head on the bottom of her desk. Groaning and rubbing the top of her head, she crawled backwards and slumped against the side of her bookcase. She grasped the small charm she had dropped and slipped it into her pocket.</p><p>“Son of a bitch…” she muttered. She looked at the stairs and contemplated how much effort it would take to drag herself to her feet and walk down <em>all…those…long…flights…of…stairs….</em></p><p>
  <em>Crack!</em>
</p><p>“What did we say about Apparating inside the house?” Remus chided gently.</p><p>He was sitting in front of the dark fireplace in the sitting room, holding Teddy’s hands and waving them up and down gently as the little boy giggled in delight.</p><p>“To not do it near the baby because it scares him,” Sarah recited, crouching down to make faces at Teddy. “But look at him, he isn’t scared. Are you Teddy? Do you love me Apparating?”</p><p>Teddy gurgled loudly and kicked his feet into the air. Remus gave a long-suffering sigh but Sarah saw that he was struggling not to smile.</p><p>“Here, pup,” Sirius said, handing her a letter with a smirk.</p><p>Sarah frowned at him and warily took the letter. The familiar Hogwarts crest glinted back up at her in emerald ink and she eagerly ripped into it.</p><p>“They’ve invited us back for another year!” she exclaimed to Remus and Sirius. They both let out cries of excitement and Sarah bent down and swung Teddy into her arms, dancing around the large room as he shrieked and laughed.</p><p>Putting him down in Remus’s lap, she declared, “I need to see if the others know!”</p><p>“Be back for dinner!” Remus called after her as she raced toward the kitchen, where the fireplace was constantly burning.</p><p>She was spat out in the Burrow’s living room and immediately engulfed by a mane of bushy brown hair.</p><p>“DID YOU GET YOUR LETTER!” Hermione shrieked in her ear.</p><p>“Woah, let the girl breathe,” Ron’s voice said. He extricated Hermione off Sarah and wrapped an arm around her waist.</p><p>“So, are you going back?” Hermione asked excitedly, leaning against Ron.</p><p>“Of course,” Sarah said immediately. “Do Harry and Draco know?”</p><p>“They left a few hours ago,” Ron explained. “They’re on a <em>date</em>.”</p><p>Sarah rolled her eyes. “Send them over when they get back if they come here. I was just at Grimmauld.”</p><p>“Oh, how’s Teddy?” Hermione said.</p><p>“He’s adorable,” Sarah gushed. “Sirius is sure he’ll be walking soon.”</p><p>“But he’s only three months old!” Hermione gasped. “Surely he won’t be able to – “</p><p>“Oh, I wouldn’t say that,” Sarah laughed. “You should see him with his powers. The other day he made his hair disappear and nearly gave Remus a heart attack – “</p><p>“Is that Sarah I hear?”</p><p>Mrs Weasley bustled into the room, a basket of washing tucked securely on one hip.</p><p>“Hello, dear!” she exclaimed. “Oh, I <em>love</em> what you’ve done with your hair!”</p><p>“Thanks, Mrs Weasley,” Sarah said, toying with one of the softly curling strands that ended just above her shoulders.</p><p>“Will you be staying for dinner?” Mrs Weasley asked hopefully.</p><p>“Unfortunately, no,” apologised Sarah. “We promised Andromeda we would go around to her place for dinner.”</p><p>“That’s all right, dear. I heard you all got Hogwarts letters. Will you be going back?”</p><p>After they had assured Mrs Weasley that yes, they would indeed be completing the extra year at school, Sarah hugged Ron and Hermione goodbye before going back through the Floo and emerging into complete chaos.</p><p>The kitchen was a riot of coloured confetti and sparkling dust. Copious amounts of slime dripped from the ceiling and walls as little sheets of paper floated lazily through the air. And standing in the middle of everything was Harry and Draco, the former looking sheepish and the latter looking murderous.</p><p>“What the hell happened?” Sarah exclaimed, taking a step back and grimacing as she stepped in a pile of gloop.</p><p>Remus and Sirius raced into the room, coming to a dead halt in the doorway, matching gobsmacked expressions on their faces. Teddy was in Remus’s arms and was giggling happily, trying to catch little pieces of confetti.</p><p>“Harry opened one of Fred’s new products,” Draco said in a dangerously low voice, “<em>without</em> reading the warning.”</p><p>“How was I supposed to know it would do this?” Harry asked, indignant.</p><p>“<em>It was called the Instant Mess Maker!”</em> Draco hissed in outrage.</p><p>Luckily, Teddy’s loud laughter saved Harry from his boyfriend’s wrath as Sirius waved his wand and vanished most of the mess. Unsurprisingly, the gold dust covering everything refused to budge.</p><p>“Sarah – “</p><p>“I know, give me ten minutes,” she said, already turning back around to the Floo.</p><p>Fred burst out laughing when Sarah relayed what had happened. The cacophony of noise from the Weasley Wizard Wheezes products barely did anything to drown out the sound of Fred’s glee.</p><p>“He actually opened it?” he gasped, leaning against the counter, heaving great breaths.</p><p>“This <em>is</em> Harry we’re talking about,” Sarah pointed out.</p><p>“That’s brilliant,” Fred said, wiping his eyes. “I’m so happy it worked.”</p><p>“Well, Draco and Remus are less impressed,” Sarah stated. “So if you could tell me how to get rid of the gold dust…?”</p><p>Fred burst into loud laughter again and it was several minutes before he could compose himself long enough to choke out the counterspell.</p><p>“Thank you, darling,” she said, pressing a quick kiss to his lips. “Bye Verity!” she called to the pretty blond who was working the till. Verity shot her a wink before turning back to the harassed mother in front of her.</p><p>When Sarah appeared back in Grimmauld Place’s kitchen, it was to find Harry sitting alone at the table, the door from the room firmly closed.</p><p>“I take it you’re on time out?” she smirked, waving her wand and vanishing the dust.</p><p>Harry nodded and smiled at her gratefully.</p><p>“Draco said that if I wanted to act like an idiot, I would have to do it without him,” Harry explained. “I think he’s upstairs with Teddy, trying to teach him to say my name wrong.”</p><p>Sarah snorted and went to make a cup of tea.</p><p>“I think he’s just angry that Teddy can somewhat say all our names <em>except </em>his,” she said, smiling at the kettle. “Did Remus give you your letters yet?” she asked.</p><p>Harry looked at her in confusion. “No. What letters?”</p><p>She passed over the Hogwarts letter and sipped her tea as Harry scanned it, his bright emerald eyes widening slightly.</p><p>“They want us to come back?” he asked at last.</p><p>“Seems that way,” Sarah replied. “It’s going to be interesting. Ron and Hermione already told me they’re going back.”</p><p>“Interesting is one word for it,” Harry muttered, running one hand through his thick curls. Draco had made him get a haircut when it reached his chin and now it was cut short on the sides, with a slightly longer section on the top to help cover his scar.</p><p>“It’ll be okay, Harry.” Sarah smiled at him softly. “At least, that’s what your Mind Healer will say.”</p><p>Harry scoffed but smiled.</p><p>“It’ll be good to go back,” he said. “I think I would hate it if our last memories of the place were <em>those</em>…”</p><p>Sarah nodded enthusiastically and sent her cup flying into the sink with a flick of her wand.</p><p>“Apparently McGonagall’s done an excellent job of fixing the place up,” she said. “Mr Weasley was talking to Bill about it last night.”</p><p>“Shall we go see how much damage Draco has managed to cause?” Harry suggested. He stood up and offered Sarah his hand with a flourish.</p><p>She rolled her eyes and took it, leading him out of the kitchen.</p><p>“Honestly, you two are so problematic sometimes…” she muttered as Harry laughed brightly behind her.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p>
  <strong>September 1998</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>Kings Cross Station was even more crowded than usual. Large families pushed together, tearfully saying goodbye to their Hogwarts age children. Yet nearly everyone looked slightly wary – the scars of the previous year were going to be difficult to erase.</p><p>Sarah strolled through the platform with Fred by her side. In front of her, Harry and Sirius loped ahead, chasing each other, while Remus and Draco followed them, both shaking their heads in exasperation. Teddy was happy sitting against Sarah’s chest, taking in all the new sights and sounds around them.</p><p>People called out to Harry and occasionally Sarah and Draco, but mainly they were gratefully left alone. That didn’t stop people from gawking at them when they passed – although, that may have been more due to Harry and Sirius acting like idiots than Harry’s renewed celebrity status.</p><p>“Oi! There you are!” Ron’s voice suddenly called.</p><p>Sarah and Fred sped up to where Ron and Hermione were standing with Ginny and Mrs Weasley.</p><p>“Took you long enough to get here,” continued Ron as the three women cooed over Teddy, whose hair began changing colour rapidly to match theirs. “I already saw Blaise, he said that he and the Slytherins are going to get a compartment in the next carriage – we won’t all fit in one.”</p><p>“Does that mean we’re being banished to another compartment?” Draco asked with an innocent expression.</p><p>“No!” Harry said, pouting and grabbing hold of Draco’s arm. “You’re sitting with me.”</p><p>“Possessive much,” Fred muttered to Sarah. She smirked at him in response. It warmed her heart to see him finding humour today, despite the memories that must surely be assaulting his mind.</p><p>“You’ll write to me, right?” she asked him, passing Teddy over, who chirruped excitedly and immediately began making grabbing motions for Fred’s ginger locks.</p><p>Fred rolled his eyes at her but said with a small smile, “Of course. But I might wait to let you actually get to Hogwarts first, if that’s all right.”</p><p>She stuck her tongue out at him in reply.</p><p>“Have a good term,” Remus said to them all. “We’ll see you at Christmas.”</p><p>“Stay out of trouble!” Mrs Weasley warned them all as hugs were exchanged and hair was ruffled. “I mean it, Ronald!”</p><p>“Why me?” Ron cried. “It’s always Harry that finds trouble!”</p><p>“And you don’t think I know that you willingly walk into it after him?”</p><p>“I’m his best mate! I’d be useless if I didn’t!”</p><p>Sarah turned away from the argument and kissed Fred quickly, dodging Teddy’s tiny hands.</p><p>“Love you,” she told him. She turned and pressed a kiss to Teddy’s button nose. “And love you too, little man. Look after Freddie for me, okay?” Teddy gurgled happily in response.</p><p>“See you soon, pup,” Sirius said, squeezing her shoulder quickly as the others began to hop onto the train.</p><p>“Behave,” Remus warned, although he had a small twinkle in his amber eyes.</p><p>“Bye guys!”</p><p>“Bye, everyone!”</p><p>“See you at Christmas!”</p><p>The farewells echoing around them were cut off when Harry closed the carriage door behind them. They began to struggle down the corridor, their heavy trunks floating behind them awkwardly, avoiding the inquisitive faces that peered up at them from behind glass compartment doors.</p><p>“Are you going to sit with us, Ginny?” Hermione asked as they walked.</p><p>Ginny shrugged in reply. “I’ll see what Luna wants to do,” she said.</p><p>Draco smirked at Sarah.</p><p>“Miss your girlfriend, do you?” he teased Ginny.</p><p>The ginger girl turned bright red and swatted at Draco with her free hand.</p><p>“Shut up, you wanker,” she said. “Luna’s not my girlfriend!”</p><p>“Yet…” muttered Sarah.</p><p>Luckily for her, a compartment door opened and a voice called out before Ginny could hex Sarah.</p><p>“Oi! Bitch! Dipshit! Get in here!”</p><p>Sarah rolled her eyes at Blaise’s grinning face and turned to the others.</p><p>“We’ll come find you soon,” she said. “Come on, Draco, let’s go see what the wanker wants.”</p><p>Sarah flung herself into the waiting compartment, narrowly missing whacking Blaise over the head with her floating trunk.</p><p>“Watch it!” he whined. “You haven’t seen me for <em>weeks</em> and yet you treat me so horribly!”</p><p>“Blaise, we saw each other last week,” Draco drawled, entering the compartment much less enthusiastically than Sarah. He sat in the free seat beside Pansy while Sarah flopped down in between Theo and Greg.</p><p>“Thanks for letting us stay at your place,” Theo said to her, slinging an arm around her shoulders. “I promise we didn’t make too much of a mess.”</p><p>“And your house-elves cleaned up any mess we did make,” smirked Pansy. She was leaning against Millicent’s chest as the other girl rested against the window, a hand in Pansy’s dark bob. Sarah still couldn’t believe that they had gotten back together but apparently by Pansy jumping in to help Millicent fight her father, the two girls had made up.</p><p>“Try not to question that too much,” Theo muttered in her ear, guessing where her mind had gone. “They were absolutely horrible this summer.”</p><p>“Were not,” cried Pansy, who had been eavesdropping on them. “We were lovely.”</p><p>“As long as you didn’t ruin my silk sheets,” Sarah said.</p><p>“No promises,” Pansy said with a wicked grin.</p><p>Blaise rolled his eyes dramatically and threw himself across Draco and Pansy’s laps.</p><p>“What are the chances that we’ll be stuck with all the others returning for this year?” he announced. “I can’t imagine having to share with <em>Gryffindors</em>.” He left out a shudder that was ruined by Draco pushing him onto the floor. Blaise collapsed with a <em>humph</em> and got to hit feet, pouting.</p><p>“I can’t say I’d have any complaints about rooming with the Gryffindors,” Draco commented easily as though he hadn’t just bodily removed someone from his lap.</p><p>“That’s just because you’d be able to shag your boyfriend whenever you wanted,” Pansy stated.</p><p>“We do that already – “ Draco started but Pansy flung her hand out and covered his mouth.</p><p>“Nope!” she cried. “No boy talk!”</p><p>Draco looked affronted but didn’t say anything else.</p><p>“If you’re just going to bully poor Draco we’ll just leave,” Sarah threatened, examining her nails. “I must say that the Gryffindors are <em>much</em> nicer.”</p><p>“Boo hoo, darling,” Pansy said brightly. “Who knew you’d gone soft – <em>ARGH!”</em> She shrieked as Sarah’s wordless stinging hex hit her chest. Rubbing it, she glowered at Sarah who smiled back at her.</p><p>“Anyway,” Theo said, steering the conversation somewhere safer, “who got Head Girl and Boy?”</p><p>Sarah groaned and sagged sideways onto Greg, who shifted so his elbow wasn’t stabbing her.</p><p>“Why did you have to ask that Theo?” she bemoaned. “I <em>just</em> stopped listening to him brag about it.”</p><p>“What are you on about?” Millicent demanded, eyebrow raised.</p><p>“I got Head Boy alongside Hermione,” Draco explained, a smug grin on his posh face. “We’ll also be working with two seventh years but the main authority resides with us.”</p><p>“Thank you, Theo,” Sarah said flatly, “you have doomed us all to yet another acclamation from my favourite person.”</p><p>“Congratulations, Draco,” Theo said, ignoring Sarah, who stuck her tongue out at him.</p><p>“Thanks,” Draco said. He stuck his tongue out at Sarah who rolled her eyes, fighting a smile.</p><p>“You deserve it.”</p><p>Greg’s deep voice surprised them and as one, they turned to look at him. He had previously been looking out the window but was now looking at Draco.</p><p>“You’ll be a good Head Boy,” he continued. “As long as Granger doesn’t take control.”</p><p>“I think Hermione’s mellowed down a bit,” Draco said lightly. “But thank you, Greg.”</p><p>Greg nodded and turned back toward the window, falling into silence once more.</p><p>The summer had been difficult on him. First, he had found out that this father was one of the Death Eaters who had been killed in the battle but Greg hadn’t been allowed to take his family’s possessions as he was still due for his own trial. Next, the courts had done everything in their power to get Greg thrown into Azkaban for his actions during the last year. It was only through Sarah and the Slytherins’ testimonies that Greg had been let go with probation, the only requirement being that he returned to Hogwarts to redo his final year. He had been living at Sarah’s house with the others but had mainly stayed out of their way, preferring to keep to himself in his room or the gardens, only joining them for meals. Sarah had made an effort to try to talk to him whenever she was visiting from Grimmauld, but Greg was still hesitant and quiet. Luckily, through the combined efforts of Ziara Zabini and Narcissa Malfoy, who had been cleared of all charges thanks to Harry, Draco and Sarah, Greg had been given back access to his family vault and house, but he had still chosen to remain with the other Slytherins.</p><p>“So…do you think the castle will look the same?” Blaise asked, breaking the quiet that had descended over the compartment.</p><p>Sarah blinked and looked away from Greg.</p><p>“Er – yes,” she said haltingly, turning to Blaise. “Remus said that McGonagall has managed to clear it up entirely. I don’t know how much will be different though, some of the towers were nearly completely destroyed.”</p><p>“I wish we had been allowed to help with the restorations,” Draco said.</p><p>“I don’t know if I would have been able to step back into the castle,” Millicent admitted quietly. “Whenever I think of it, all I see is rubble.”</p><p>Sarah knew what she meant. Most nights her dreams were filled with broken glass, rubble and a hole blown into the corridor wall, glassy brown eyes staring back at her as George lay unmoving –</p><p>She pushed the thought away and tried to put a smile on her face. Judging by Theo’s tightened grip around her shoulders, she guessed she hadn’t done such a good job.</p><p>“I’m sure we’ll get used to it,” she said, her voice thankfully even. “I mean, what was the point of all those Healer sessions if we can’t even step foot into the castle?”</p><p>Draco let out a soft snort and then looked horrified he had made such a noise. That cause Pansy and Sarah to burst into laughter and soon the heavy atmosphere had lifted. After a while, Sarah and Draco bid goodbye to the Slytherins and moved down the corridor in search of their other friends.</p><p>People stared at them as they passed, some pointing at them through the glass, others poking their neighbours and whispering hurriedly. Both Sarah and Draco ignored them and continued walking.</p><p>“Merlin, what I wouldn’t take to have Teddy here just so that everyone stares at him instead of us,” Sarah groaned.</p><p>“He is extremely adorable,” Draco agreed.</p><p>“Oh, so you like him now?” smirked Sarah. “I thought he was a horrid creature who had to learn how to control himself.”</p><p>“He had just vomited on me!” cried Draco. “How did you think I would react?”</p><p>Sarah grinned widely and said, “Be nice to my godson or I’ll hex you.”</p><p>“He’s my godson, too,” Draco grumbled. “Anyway, he’s more your brother than godson, with how much you spoil him.”</p><p>“Excuse you! Sirius and Remus spoil him just as much!”</p><p>“Exactly, and they’re his parents. So by default that would mean you were his sister – “</p><p>“I would be honoured to be his big sister!”</p><p>“I know you would so why were you arguing it in the first place?”</p><p>“Sometimes you really annoy me,” Sarah grouched as they finally found the compartment containing Harry, Ron and Hermione’s distinct hair.</p><p>“Ah, so I’m right but you don’t want to accept that,” smirked Draco, sliding the door open. “You can grovel accordingly later.”</p><p>“<em>Grovel accordingly</em>?” exclaimed Sarah, following Draco inside. “Absolutely not, you arse! You grovel accordingly!”</p><p>“Why would I need to do that?” he grinned. “I was right.”</p><p>“You’re a wanker that’s what you are.”</p><p>“You always say the loveliest things to me.”</p><p>“Go drown yourself in the lake.”</p><p>“I love you too, darling.”</p><p>“What on earth is happening?” Ron exclaimed. “You’d think after seven years of this shit I’d get used to it but nope! It’s still as confusing as ever.”</p><p>Sarah and Draco turned identical unimpressed looks on Ron and said in unison, “Small minds, Ronald.”</p><p>“How the fuck - !”</p><p>“Language, Ron!”</p><p>Sarah smiled to herself and settled comfortably in the chair beside Draco as Ron and Hermione’s familiar bickering filled the compartment. One thing was for certain, no matter how difficult it may be going back, at least they were all okay and moving on – they had each other and that was the most important thing.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter Three</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Remind me again why I decided to come back?”</p><p>Sarah groaned as she looked miserably at the large stack of parchment and books sitting on the desk in front of her. Beside her, Harry barely managed to smother a laugh.</p><p>“Because you want to get your N.E.W.T.s and Draco would kill you if you didn’t?” he offered.</p><p>She groaned again and dropped her head to the table, wincing at the loud sound of bone hitting wood.</p><p>“Ouch…”</p><p>“Be quiet, Sarah, or Pince will kick us out!” hissed Hermione from across the table. She and Draco had their heads bent together over a large Runes book, trying to complete the latest set of translations.</p><p>“We’ve only been here for two weeks!” Sarah complained in a low voice. “How is it possible to already have this much work?”</p><p>“Well, you did choose to do eight N.E.W.T.s <em>and</em> you’re working on your Healer apprenticeship,” Harry pointed out.</p><p>“Thank you, darling, that makes everything so much better,” Sarah muttered.</p><p>“Hey, at least we don’t have a psychopathic maniac after us this year,” Harry said, poking Sarah’s shoulder with the end of his quill. “That’s some good news.”</p><p>“Oh, are we making jokes about that now?” Sarah asked. “That’s excellent character development, Harry.”</p><p>“Stop being sarcastic for one moment, would you?” he sighed.</p><p>“But sarcasm is my oxygen,” she said. “Being without it would be like asking me not to breathe – “</p><p>“Sarah, Madam Pomfrey wants to see you.”</p><p>Ginny’s sudden voice made Sarah look up. She chose to ignore Harry’s grateful murmur of, “<em>Thank god,”</em> and instead turned toward the redhead.</p><p>“Did she say why?” she asked, already getting up and gathering her stuff.</p><p>Ginny shook her head. “I was just in the Hospital Wing and she asked me to get you. Sloper got a Bludger to the groin, the idiot,” she added at Ron’s worried glance. “Anyway, you’d better hurry, Sarah, Pomfrey looked harried.”</p><p>“Thanks, Gin.”</p><p>Sarah looked at the massive pile of work and let out a long-suffering sigh. She turned to Draco with pleading eyes.</p><p>“Draco, darling - ?”</p><p>“Yes, of course, I’ll take your things. Just go,” he replied without looking up from his work.</p><p>Sarah bounced over and pressed a kiss to his hair and said, “Thank you, darling!” before rushing out of the library, ignoring Madam Pince’s death glare.</p><p>Madam Pomfrey nearly cried with relief when Sarah entered the Hospital Wing.</p><p>Nearly all the beds were full of sneezing, wheezing and coughing students.</p><p>“What on earth happened?” Sarah gasped, taking in all the pitiful looking patients.</p><p>“Potions accident,” Madam Pomfrey explained in a tense voice. “It got all the first years in the class this morning but somehow spread to a few of the upper years as well.” She pointed her wand at a fourth-year student who was trying to crawl out of his bed. “Mr Carmichael, you stay in that bed or Merlin help me I’ll body-bind you!”</p><p>Sarah quickly began flitting around the ward, listening to Madam Pomfrey’s rapid-fire instructions and doing her best to comply, the world narrowing around her to potions and spells and patients.</p><p>At long last, five hours after she had arrived in the Hospital Wing, the last student was sleeping peacefully dosed up on a selection of Pepper-Up potion and Dreamless Sleep. Madam Pomfrey and Sarah slumped into chairs and groaned as their sore muscles protested the movement.</p><p>“That was a nightmare,” muttered Madam Pomfrey, her light hair dishevelled into a wiry halo around her tired face. “Remind me to give Professor Slughorn an earful at dinner.”</p><p>She glanced up to the large wooden clock above her office door and her eyes widened.</p><p>“Oh dear!” she exclaimed. “Dinner started ten minutes ago! Go on, Sarah! Your friends will be wondering where you are.”</p><p>Sarah groaned and pushed herself out of the chair. As she walked slowly toward doors, Madam Pomfrey called out from behind her.</p><p>“Good work today, by the way.” Sarah paused and turned to see the older woman standing as well, a warm smile on her face. “Take next week off – focus on your other studies.”</p><p>“Are you sure?” Sarah asked her.</p><p>Madam Pomfrey nodded. “You’re already much further ahead than I thought you’d be, even with all the disruptions of last year. You deserve a break.”</p><p>“Thanks, Madam Pomfrey,” Sarah said with a grateful smile.</p><p>“Honestly dear, call me Poppy already,” Madam Pomfrey said with an exasperated sigh. “You make me feel old.</p><p>Sarah pushed open the ward doors and called over her shoulder, “No can do, Madam Pomfrey!”</p><p>Madam Pomfrey’s laugh echoed behind her as the doors closed after Sarah. She trudged down the hallways slowly, her body aching as she followed the enticing smells wafting up from the Great Hall.</p><p>As she was turning a corner that would lead to the marble staircase, a body suddenly appeared before her and she came to a quick halt. Zacharias Smith’s sneering face looked down at her.</p><p>“What do you want?” she asked tiredly, rubbing a hand down her face. “I just want to go to dinner – “</p><p>“You think you’re so special, don’t you, Deaumont?” he sneered.</p><p>Sarah looked up and met his cold eyes, one eyebrow lifting in question.</p><p>“Well…” she said slowly, “I do have many admirable qualities…”</p><p>Smith scoffed and took a step closer, causing Sarah to take one back.</p><p>“You think you’re so perfect just because your friends with Potter,” he growled. “Well, Potter isn’t here now to protect you, what are you gonna do about that?”</p><p>“Erm…Walk away probably…?” Sarah said, slipping her hand into her pocket and grabbing her wand. She glanced up and down the corridor quickly but that was her mistake.</p><p>Smith moved quickly and Sarah had to dive out of the way to dodge his spell. She groaned as her muscles cried out at the abuse and she rolled, trying to get her feet under her. When she saw that Smith was looking ready to throw another hex, she heaved a sigh and calmly sidestepped him, sending a verbal <em>Incarcerous</em> at him so that his body fell heavily to the ground, ropes wrapping themselves tightly around him.</p><p>“Well, that was riveting,” Sarah said drily, toeing the prone boy. “I have no idea what you were trying to prove Smith, but you just earned yourself a shitload of trouble. Goodbye.”</p><p>She left him lying in the empty corridor and continued into the Great Hall, where dinner was more than halfway through. With a relieved exhalation, she gingerly lowered herself into a seat beside Blaise.</p><p>“Are you actually going to eat the food or are you just going to keep staring miserably at it?” Blaise asked her after she hadn’t moved for a few moments.</p><p>“I’m so tired from helping Pomfrey,” Sarah explained. “And Smith, the little shit, tried to curse me in the corridor. I don’t think I can physically lift my arms. Pass me some of the roast, would you?”</p><p>“What do you mean Smith tried to curse you?” Blaise demanded, piling some slices of meat and vegetables on her plate.</p><p>Sarah realised that her hands were shaking slightly as she grabbed her knife and fork and tried to eat as quickly as she could before her body gave up.</p><p>“Exactly what I said,” she replied, swallowing quickly. “The bastard cornered me and tried to curse me. Didn’t think I’d be able to defend myself without ‘perfect Potter’ beside me.”</p><p>“Well, that wasn’t very smart…” Blaise muttered as he watched Sarah shovel down food. “Sarah, darling, you’re worrying me. I think you’ve been spending too much time with Weasley, his table manners seem to be rubbing off on you.”</p><p>“I think I’m about to pass out,” she explained. “It’s better if I do it with a full stomach.”</p><p>She had barely finished speaking before she felt her limbs turn to mush and she slumped sideways against Blaise, falling into a deep sleep.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>“What the fuck?” Blaise exclaimed, staring down at the sleeping girl currently resting against his shoulder.</p><p>He looked around for anyone to help him but Pansy and Theo had already finished dinner and Draco was sitting with Harry at the Gryffindor table. Realising he didn’t have any other options, he shifted so that he could scoop Sarah into his arms and stood from the table.</p><p>“Mind your own business,” he snapped at the curious eyes watching him as he passed.</p><p>“Blaise! Wait!”</p><p>Blaise paused as Draco ran up to him, his grey eyes worriedly sweeping over the sleeping girl.</p><p>“Is Sarah all right?” he asked, reaching out a hand to run it through his best friend’s hair. “What happened?”</p><p>“Magical exhaustion, I’d say,” Blaise replied. “She said she had been helping Pomfrey all afternoon <em>and</em> Smith tried to attack her.”</p><p>“<em>Smith tried to attack her?</em>” Draco repeated. His silver eyes were suddenly hard and steely and Blaise noted that the other boy had drawn his wand. “Where is he?”</p><p>Blaise shrugged as much as he could without jostling Sarah.</p><p>“No clue, she didn’t say,” he said. “She practically inhaled some food before passing out. I’m going to take her to bed – she should be fine tomorrow.”</p><p>Draco nodded, still looking extremely angry.</p><p>“If you’ll excuse me,” he said tersely, “I’m going to go find and kill a Hufflepuff.”</p><p>“Don’t leave any evidence!” Blaise called after him, watching as the blond boy stalked back into the Great Hall, leaned down to mutter something in Harry’s ear before straightening and marching back past Blaise and up the marble staircase.</p><p>Blaise looked down at Sarah who was still sleeping peacefully in his arms.</p><p>“I hope you feel rejuvenated tomorrow,” he said to her as he began walking toward the marble staircase, “because I have a feeling we may be bailing Draco out of jail.”</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Four weeks of detention?”</em></p><p>Draco flinched away slightly from Sarah’s screech, a frown on his face. Behind him, Harry was struggling to keep his own face neutral, even though his emerald eyes were shinning in delight.</p><p>“You’re Head Boy, Draco!” Sarah continued, her loud voice echoing in the empty common room. All the other eighth years had disappeared when she had stormed in a few minutes earlier, dragging Draco by the ear with Harry following them. “Of all the stupid, brainless, <em>idiotic</em> - !”</p><p>“He hexed you, Sarah!” Draco exclaimed, crossing his arms over his chest. He stared defiantly down at her.</p><p>Sarah poked him in the chest and glowered back at him.</p><p>They most likely made quite the picture: Draco was a good head taller than her now and Sarah had to tilt her head up to look at him properly. Both red in the face, neither one of them was willing to back down.</p><p>“How could you let him do this?” Sarah demanded, whirling toward Harry.</p><p>The boy in question took a few hurried steps back and raised his hands in fright.</p><p>“I don’t let him do anything!” he exclaimed quickly as his boyfriend spun around and glared at him. “And honestly, Sarah, if Draco hadn’t done it, I would have.”</p><p>“He sent Smith to St Mungo’s!” Sarah screamed. “<em>His hands weren’t attached to his body!”</em></p><p>“I regret nothing,” Draco said evenly, turning back to look again at Sarah.</p><p>She cried out in frustration and hit both her palms to his chest, only hard enough to make him sway slightly backwards.</p><p>“Draco, it was so stupid of you!” she said hotly. “Smith was <em>fine</em> lying in the corridor tied up! You didn’t need to go all crazy on him.”</p><p>Draco snorted. “No one tries to hurt my friends,” he stated. “Smith deserved it.”</p><p>Sarah groaned and gripped her hair tightly with both hands.</p><p>“You’re impossible!” she exclaimed. “What if McGonagall had expelled you?”</p><p>“But she didn’t,” Draco said. “And she knows what Smith did and he’ll be punished.”</p><p>“Once they’ve reattached his hands, of course,” Harry piped up from behind Draco.</p><p>Draco turned to shoot him a stern look.</p><p>“Not helping, Potter,” he muttered.</p><p>“Sorry…”</p><p>Sarah collapsed onto one of the dark brown couches and pressed a pillow over her face, muffling her frustrated scream.</p><p>“Look, Sarah….” She felt Draco come and sit on the air of the chair but didn’t remove the pillow. “I know you’re angry at me but I couldn’t stand by and just let Smith get away with attacking you. You have no idea how worried I was when I saw Blaise carrying you out of the Great Hall last night. And when I found Smith, there was a scorch mark, <em>a scorch mark</em>, across from him where I guessed you had been standing – he could have seriously hurt you.”</p><p>Sarah threw the pillow at him.</p><p>“But he didn’t,” she said grumpily. “I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”</p><p>“I know that, love, trust me,” Draco said, reaching down to place a cool hand on her ankle. “But it doesn’t stop me from wanting to protect you.”</p><p>He grey eyes were so sincere as they stared into her own and Sarah felt her anger ebbing away.</p><p>She sighed deeply but smiled slightly up at Draco.</p><p>“I guess that a handless Smith would have been quite entertaining to see…” she said, her lips twitching upwards slightly.</p><p>Draco smirked. “It was indeed.”</p><p>Harry let out a relieved sigh and moved to stand behind Draco, one hand on the other boy’s shoulder.</p><p>“Are you all good now?” he asked, running a hand through his thick curls absently.</p><p>Sarah nodded at him. “Yes, I’m over my little strop now. Theo can bring all the others back.”</p><p>Harry snorted. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen people move that fast before. It’s like they all Apparated.”</p><p>“Yes, Sarah does have that effect on people,” Draco said with a fond smile.</p><p>“Oh shut up, you wanker,” she replied, wishing she could reach the pillow to throw at him.</p><p>“No, that’s what I have Harry for,” Draco said with a sly smirk.</p><p>Harry went bright red and choked on air, spluttering loudly as Sarah and Draco burst into laughter.</p><p>The door to the common room swung open and Theo’s thick head of brown hair cautiously peeked through.</p><p>“Is it safe to come back inside?” he called out. “Granger’s getting angry because she left her notes in here.”</p><p>“Yes, Theo, the beast has been soothed,” Draco said back loudly. Sarah smacked him across the arm and he shied away from her, pouting slightly in mock-pain. “Harry, look how she treats me. Will you kiss it better?”</p><p>“Oh get a fucking room, you two,” Ron shouted as he walked past. “Anyone up for a game of chess?”</p><p>“Ron, not everyone wants to play chess all the time,” Harry sighed, one hand dropping down to stroke Draco’s shoulder idly.</p><p>“Yeah, Ron, some of us actually want to <em>study</em>, imagine that,” smirked Sarah. “On that note – Hermione, darling, will you please read over my Transfiguration essay? I’m still angry at Draco and will happily admit that you are superior in that subject to him.”</p><p>Hermione giggled as Draco shot Sarah an offended look, which she wisely ignored.</p><p>“Sarah, you got an O in Transfiguration,” Hermione pointed out, nonetheless clearing some space for Sarah to drop beside her.</p><p>“Two minds are better than one,” Sarah replied, eagerly shoving the thick scroll at the other girl. “Give it your worst. I intend to take the top spot this year.”</p><p>Blaise dropped onto the couch Sarah just vacated. “Merlin help us,” he muttered.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Even without Quidditch, the weeks still flew by and before they knew it, it was Halloween. The Great Hall had been decorated just as extravagantly as previous years, all of Hagrid’s giant pumpkins included. How he managed to grow them as large as they were each and every year was still a mystery to Sarah, one that she was happy to leave unknown.</p><p>The feast was loud with all of them eating far too much sugar and dessert. Seamus was practically vibrating in his seat by the end of it; the only thing seemingly keeping him from flying away being Dean’s hand on his thigh. That too had been a new development of the year. Yet, Sarah was not overly surprised that Ginny and Dean hadn’t worked out again, especially considering the redhead’s increased glances towards a certain blond Ravenclaw who disregarded normal seating rules.</p><p>Speaking of blonds, a flash of white caught Sarah’s attention as Draco walked toward her, Harry following at a more sedate pace. Sarah frowned as she observed the two boys. They had been gone most of the day, with Draco only offering Sarah a quick kiss on the cheek and a promise to be back before the end of the feast before he pushed Harry out of their shared common room.</p><p>“He’s looking much better than he did this morning.”</p><p>Sarah turned to Hermione in question.</p><p>“Harry,” Hermione elaborated. “You must not have seen him much before they left, but he wasn’t looking too good. Ron told me that he barely slept last night, just sat watching the stars most of the night.”</p><p>Sarah frowned again and sighed, leaning slightly against Hermione’s shoulder.</p><p>“I guess this year is harder than the others, now that he doesn’t have anything hanging over it and distracting him,” Sarah said quietly.</p><p>“Do you know where Draco took him?” Hermione asked.</p><p>“No. But I could wager a guess.”</p><p>Hermione stared at her intently.</p><p>“Their graves,” she eventually whispered.</p><p>Sarah nodded, eyes fixed on the two boys who were nearly at the front of the Hall where the eighth years’ table sat separate from the four House tables.</p><p>She sat up as Draco and Harry took the seats opposite her and Hermione. Ron detached himself from inhaling his food long enough to grunt a greeting at them before diving face-first back into his plate. Sarah’s lip curled at his manners before she turned to the two boys.</p><p>“Tell me what you’re thinking,” she said to Harry.</p><p>Harry’s lips twitched slightly but his eyes were warm as they locked onto hers.</p><p>“I’m thinking that I may be too tired for the party Seamus has planned for tonight,” he admitted, pulling a large platter of roast beef toward him.</p><p>Sarah scoffed and touched her foot to his leg briefly under the table.</p><p>“Please, you can’t escape that,” she drawled. “If I have to suffer, then you and Draco have to suffer too.”</p><p>“Why must I be dragged into this?” Draco complained. “I’ve been nothing but good to you, Sarah.”</p><p>Sarah rolled her eyes at Draco.</p><p>“Define ‘good’, darling,” she said with a sweet smile. “And I’ll have you know that I didn’t go to all that trouble of getting drinks just for my boys to miss it. You’ll be there – you’ll have fun and then you can go fuck like rabbits for the rest of the night if it pleases you.”</p><p>Harry choked on the sip of pumpkin juice he had been taking and Ron had to hit him across the back until the dark-haired boy could breathe properly again.</p><p>“Sarah, must you be so crude?” Hermione scolded. “And I told you not to tell me anything about any potential alcohol or else I’ll be forced to confiscate it.”</p><p>“Don’t worry, ‘Mione,” Sarah said in a sure voice, “McGonagall’s already approved the party. Seamus practically wet himself when she said yes.”</p><p>“How did he manage that?” Ron asked, mouth still nearly full.</p><p>“I promised not to blow up anything for a week,” Seamus piped up from further down the table. “She didn’t seem to believe me for some reason but I proved her wrong and she said we could do it.”</p><p>“<em>Only</em> if we kept it to our common room,” Dean added with a sharp look at his boyfriend. “And no underage students. Means Gin and Luna can’t come, unfortunately.”</p><p>“What do you mean ‘unfortunately’?” Seamus said with a pout.</p><p>Dean’s brown eyes widened and he quickly wrapped his arm around the shorter boy. “Nothing like that babe.” He pressed a kiss to Seamus’s sandy hair and the other boy smiled slightly, winking in their direction when Dean wasn’t looking.</p><p>“He’s devious,” Draco stated when Seamus and Dean went back to their own conversation. “I would never manipulate Harry that way.”</p><p>Harry raised his eyebrows at his boyfriend and said, quite slowly and seriously, “You literally refused to speak to me for <em>four</em> <em>days</em> because I messed up your hair after a snog and forgot to tell you.”</p><p>“That was not <em>manipulation</em>!” cried Draco in outrage. “That was a travesty! That was my dignity on the line!”</p><p>“There, there, darling,” Sarah said, leaning over the table to pat Draco’s head slightly. “We all still love you despite your manipulative tendencies.”</p><p>Draco growled slightly and swatted at her hands.</p><p>“You can’t talk,” he said primly. “You told Fred he couldn’t have sex with you until he shaved that bloody moustache he grew over the summer.”</p><p>Ron gagged slightly and glanced at Sarah in horror as she placed her arm on the table, leaning her chin in her palm.</p><p>“Yes, that was a bit unfortunate,” she said with a slight smirk. “Luckily for me, he shaved it off immediately.”</p><p>“Can we <em>please</em> not talk about Sarah and my brother’s sex life,” Ron groaned, dropping his head to the table.</p><p>“We could talk about you and Hermione if you’d prefer?” Sarah offered. “<em>Ouch!</em> It was a <em>joke</em>, Hermione! You didn’t need to <em>punch</em> me!”</p><p>“Get up you lazy buggers, we’ve got some fun times to attend to!” Seamus shouted at them as the food disappeared from the tables and the Great Hall started to empty. “If you’re not all in the common room in ten minutes, we’re locking you out for the night.”</p><p>Harry’s eyes lit up slightly at the idea and Sarah shook her head at him in warning.</p><p>“Oh, no you don’t, Potter,” she said, quickly rounding the table and linking her arms through his and Draco’s. “You’re both coming with me. I demand at <em>least</em> five shots before you can leave and defile your bed.”</p><p>“Sarah! SHUT UP!”</p><p>“Fuck off, Ronald and let me have fun!”</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>The party was, of course, a success but many of the eight years were sporting fairly tired looks at breakfast, a few groaning pitifully into cups of strong coffee.</p><p>Harry sat down at their table in the Great Hall and tried not to moan as his head spun and his stomach turned. He looked at the pile of food before him and decided the safest option was the pot of coffee Parvati had just given up.</p><p>Sarah hadn’t been lying when she said she wanted to do shots with him and Draco. Except, it hadn’t stopped at five. Harry remembered the amazed horror he felt as he watched his boyfriend match his best friend shot for shot and somehow still remain standing. He had no idea what Slytherins had gotten up to in past years but it was obvious they could drink everyone under the table. Harry bit back a laugh at the image of Millicent calmly chugging from a cup of mysterious concoctions while Seamus lay in a groaning pile at her feet.</p><p>Harry didn’t know how much he had drunk but definitely knew his body hated him. Even worse, the Slytherin boys’ room had been locked tight this morning when Harry had tried to go and see if Draco had any Hangover potions on hand. His next stop would have been Hermione if it weren’t for the fact that Ron’s bed was mysteriously empty. That was <em>not</em> something that Harry wanted to see.</p><p>“Wow, darling, you’re looking a bit rough at the edges.”</p><p>Harry groaned as Sarah’s lilting voice caused his brain to start up a pounding beat within his skull. He felt her slide into the seat beside him and a soft hand thread through his curls.</p><p>“I brought something that may help,” Sarah continued and a second later there was the tell-tale clink of a potion vial hitting wood.</p><p>Harry raised his head as fast as he could without throwing up and took the potion eagerly, sighing in relief as it drained away the pain and nausea.</p><p>Sarah’s cerulean eyes glinted back at him as he chugged the remainder of his coffee.</p><p>“I thought you might be needing that, considering that Draco was still passed out when I checked on him,” she said with a small smile.</p><p>“How did you get into the room?” Harry asked. He began piling food onto his plate, suddenly ravenous now that his stomach had stopped trying to do the Samba without his permission.</p><p>Sarah raised one perfect, dark eyebrow and smirked. “A Slytherin never reveals their secrets, Harry dearest.”</p><p>Harry snorted and rolled his eyes.</p><p>“How are you feeling after yesterday?” Sarah said quietly, placing a warm hand on Harry’s arm.</p><p>Harry glanced at her to see that, despite her happy outward appearance, her eyes were shadowed and serious.</p><p>“I’m fine,” he said truthfully. “Draco and I spent the day in Godric’s Hollow. We bumped in Remus and Sirius, actually. They’re well and Teddy is as cute as ever.”</p><p>Sarah nodded and turned back to her own breakfast but Harry couldn’t help but notice that she still wasn’t her usual self.</p><p>“Sarah, is something wrong?” he asked her.</p><p>She didn’t turn to look at him but her grip tightened slightly on her cutlery.</p><p>“You can still talk to me,” he continued. “Please remember that.”</p><p>Sarah sighed and set down her knife and fork.</p><p>“I just didn’t sleep too well last night,” she admitted, glancing at Harry and smiling sadly. “It was a bit difficult getting out of bed.”</p><p>He knew exactly what she meant and then felt slightly horrified that he hadn’t checked up on her the entire time they’d been back at Hogwarts. He had been so focused on himself or Draco that he had forgotten that Sarah was so much better at hiding her emotions than the others.</p><p>“Do you want to go flying today?” he asked her.</p><p>Sarah glanced at him and narrowed her eyes slightly.</p><p>“I can practically feel you scheming, Harry Potter,” she said in a warning tone. “I’m <em>fine</em>. You don’t have to worry about me.”</p><p>He laughed slightly and slung an arm over her shoulders.</p><p>“Sarah, I’m asking if you want to go flying with me, not forcing you to sit down and go to therapy,” he said. “Come on. It’ll be fun. Just me and you like back in third year.”</p><p>“Merlin, I can’t believe third year was the last time we flew for fun,” Sarah said, shaking her head slightly. “Very well, I’m sure I can give you some of my valuable time.”</p><p>Harry beamed at her and released her. “Eat up then. We’ll let the others know what we’re going and then go.”</p><p>She rolled her eyes at him in reply but Harry didn’t miss the small smile playing at her lips. He smiled to himself as he dug into his food. It would be good to have some time for the two of them. With everything happening the past year, they had rarely found any time where they could just enjoy each other’s company without any distractions.</p><p>“Well, Potter, are you coming?” Sarah asked, drawing Harry out of his thoughts. “Dibs on telling Draco. You can tell Hermione and Ron.”</p><p>“That’s so not fair!”</p><p>“La, la, la, can’t hear you!”</p><p>“Get back here you evil bint!”</p><p>“Mr Potter, language!”</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>“I could stay out here forever.”</p><p>Sarah sighed happily and spread her arms out wider as her broom continued to glide forward.</p><p>“Well, we might catch hypothermia if we do,” Harry said in reply, fumbling for his wand to cast Warming charms on them.</p><p>“Who cares about the cold?” Sarah said. “Look at it, Harry. It’s so peaceful.”</p><p>Harry hummed in response and the pair of them flew slowly onwards, skirting over the forest and across the gleaming lake.</p><p>“Do you know what you want to do after school?” Sarah suddenly asked.</p><p>Harry glanced at her in surprise but she was still focused on the horizon, her face set into a small, content smile.</p><p>“Ron still wants me to be an Auror,” Harry said. “And Hermione and Draco think I’d be a good teacher.”</p><p>“Yes, but what do <em>you</em> want?” Sarah said, a teasing quality to her voice. “What does Harry James Potter, the boy with notoriously untameable hair and enough awkwardness for us all, want to do after graduation? Do you want to start an orphanage for abandoned kittens? Teach Quidditch to children? Deep dive for pearls off Costa Rica?”</p><p>Harry let out a bark of laughter and shook his head, pushing his overlong hair back from his face.</p><p>“I think teaching would be interesting,” he admitted slowly, feeling his eyebrows draw down in a frown. “But I don’t think I want to do that immediately. Do you think Draco would want to travel with me?”</p><p>“Well, he’ll be doing his Potions Mastery immediately after graduation,” Sarah replied. “But don’t think about Draco for a moment, Harry. Think about what <em>you</em> want to do without the influence of anyone else.”</p><p>Harry thought for a moment and finally said. “I don’t know, Sarah. I didn’t expect to live this long.”</p><p>A sharp intake of breath was the only indication that Sarah had heard him.</p><p>“I’m happy I have, obviously,” he continued, not looking in her direction even though he could feel his eyes on her. “I just haven’t really had the opportunity to think about my future. I’m just still trying to learn how to deal with <em>living</em> again without the war hanging over my head.”</p><p>He turned toward the setting sun and watched as its rays bounced across the water like giant strokes of a paintbrush.</p><p>“I think I want to create things – fix things. I think I want to try to restore my parents’ old house,” he said at last, finally turning toward Sarah. Her face was lit up by the sunset and her blue eyes were shining brightly at him as she smiled widely. “What?”</p><p>“Nothing,” she said, still smiling brightly. “I’m just happy for you.”</p><p>Harry felt himself blush and muttered, “Shut up.”</p><p>“You think it’s stupid, don’t you?” she asked him in a challenging tone.</p><p>Damn, Harry had forgotten how perceptive she could be sometimes.</p><p>“No…”</p><p>“Don’t lie to me, Potter.”</p><p>Well, fuck.</p><p>“I just don’t think it’s what people expect me to do,” he admitted, shrugging. “They will all want me to go into being an Auror and catch the bad guys – “</p><p>“Ok, shut up right now,” Sarah interrupted him. “First off, fuck what everyone else thinks. It’s your life and you can do whatever the bloody fuck you please.” Harry was slightly disconcerted by how much Sarah was swearing in one sentence but knew better than to comment on it. “Secondly,” she went on, “if you want to fix up your parents’ house then <em>do that</em>! Merlin, you might figure out halfway through that it’s not for you and then decide to go get a Mastery in something. But at least you would have <em>tried</em>.”</p><p>“You can be terrifying when you’re being supportive, you know that right?”</p><p>“Oh fuck off, Potter, I’m trying to be helpful.”</p><p>Harry laughed loudly at the exasperated look on Sarah’s face. Sometimes she really did look eerily similar to Draco.</p><p>“Thanks, Sarah,” he said sincerely.</p><p>She flew slightly closer to him and leant over to punch him on the arm.</p><p>“What was that for?” he cried, looking at her in shock.</p><p>“That’s me being supportive, you prat,” she replied with a large smile. “Now, let’s get inside before you freeze your cock off and leave Draco disappointed.”</p><p>She shot off back toward the castle and Harry shook his head, laughing jubilantly as he followed her. Even if he did decide that fixing houses wasn’t his thing, Sarah was right, at least he would have tried. And who knows, maybe he would find a love for it one day and would never have to sit another bloody exam ever again.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>“How are you not freaking out?”</p><p>Sarah looked at Pansy’s upside-down figure from her position lying on the couch. The short-haired girl was flicking through a large Charms textbook with a frown on her face and ink stains on her fingers.</p><p>“<em>Because</em>,” Sarah said, “I’ve been studying for <em>months</em>. I had nothing better to do during the summer. Besides,” she added at Pansy’s fierce glare, “it’s only end-of-term tests. It’s not like it’s our N.E.W.Ts.”</p><p>“Yes, but it will tell us how much more we’ll need to know!” cried Pansy. Sarah had forgotten how much she got like Hermione and Draco sometimes about schoolwork. Those two in question where on the other side of the common room, currently bent over a gigantic pile of notes with the Ravenclaws who had returned, Padma Patil and Terry Boot. “Sarah, please study at least <em>once</em> before you cause me to have heart failure!”</p><p>“Pansy, I told you, I’ve been studying the entire time,” Sarah said calmly. “Now I’m taking a break. There’s no need to worry myself the night before when I could relax.”</p><p>Pansy growled in annoyance. Footsteps from the dormitories caught her attention and Sarah rolled her eyes as Pansy called out, “Blaise! Help me out here! Sarah refuses to study and she’s making me stressed!”</p><p>“Why don’t you go find Millicent and get her to help you destress?” Blaise asked lightly, placing himself next to Sarah on the couch so they were both looking at Pansy upside down over the arm of the couch.</p><p>“You’re useless,” muttered Pansy. “Where’s Theo. Surely he’ll help me.”</p><p>“Last I saw, he had his hands up Parvati’s shirt so I’d wait a while before looking for him,” Blaise said calmly as if he hadn’t just dropped a bombshell on them.</p><p>There was a split second of stunned silence before both Sarah and Pansy vaulted upwards and shrieked.</p><p>“<em>WHAT?”</em></p><p>Heads turned towards them in shock and surprise. Blaise blinked at them from where they were suddenly leaning above him, Sarah still beside him on the couch and Pansy standing at the end of it.</p><p>“Blaise Zabini, if you do not explain <em>this instance</em> I swear to Merlin I will rip your balls off with my bare hands,” Pansy demanded in a deadly quiet voice.</p><p>“Okay, no need for violence,” Blaise said, pushing them back slightly so he could sit up. “All I saw was Theo and Parvati on the sixth floor, looking quite comfortable with each other.”</p><p>“How long has this been going on? Did you know?” Pansy demanded, whirling on Sarah.</p><p>“Of course not!” she cried. “I would have told you!”</p><p>“Why are you getting so worked up about Theo finally shagging someone?” Blaise sighed, looking toward the corridor leading to the dorms sadly.</p><p>“Because he’s never shown interest in anyone before!” Sarah exclaimed.</p><p>“We thought he may have been ace,” admitted Pansy.</p><p>“Maybe all the good options were taken,” Blaise said with a pointed looked at Sarah. “You know he had a crush on you.”</p><p>“That was years ago,” Sarah said, waving her hand. “And I’ve been dating Fred for nearly as long. Surely he wasn’t interested in me the entire time.”</p><p>Blaise’s silence made Sarah glance at Pansy in horror.</p><p>“Surely not…” she whispered.</p><p>“Damn, Sarah, who knew you were the reason poor Theo only knew the comfort of his hand all these years,” Pansy whistled.</p><p>“Fuck off, Pans!”</p><p>“Maybe don’t mention that to dear Theo when you see him,” suggested Blaise, lying back down on the couch. “You may cause the poor guy to never get it up again.”</p><p>“<em>SHUT UP, BLAISE</em>!”</p><p>“Would you two please shut the fuck up!” Draco shouted, finally losing his cool. “I don’t care if Theo is shagging hundreds of girls. We’re trying to study! Go somewhere we are not!”</p><p>Sarah and Pansy stuck their tongues out at Draco, who scoffed and turned back to Hermione, Padma and Terry.</p><p>“Where’s Harry, I need his map,” Sarah said suddenly.</p><p>“Oh no, you don’t,” Blaise said, pushing her back to the couch. “You will not stalk Theo and spy on him.”</p><p>“I wasn’t – “</p><p>“Don’t try to lie, Sarah, I know you too well.” Blaise watched her with a stubborn set to his jaw. “Let him have this and then interrogate him in the morning.”</p><p>“But it’s exams tomorrow!” Sarah argued.</p><p>“Oh Merlin, I forgot!” Pansy exclaimed, suddenly paling. “I have to study!”</p><p>She raced back to her discarded book and stuck her nose in it.</p><p>“There, your partner-in-crime in busy,” Blaise said with a soft sigh. “Guess you’ll just have to wait until later.”</p><p>“Fuck you, Blaise.”</p><p>“Anytime, darling,” he leered, puckering his lips. It quickly turned to an expression of pain as Sarah’s Stinging Hex hit him in the groin. “You’re horrible.”</p><p>“Love you, too.”</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Christmas break was finally upon them. Despite Pansy’s continuous, mind-numbing worries, they had all done well on their term exams and could now happily enjoy three weeks of blissful break. Sarah had never been happier to see the ghastly serpent knocker of Grimmauld Place. Despite Sirius’s best efforts, the stubborn thing refused to be removed. It was with no small amount of glee that Sarah banged it as hard as she could against the wooden door, Draco and Harry shaking their heads at her from behind her.</p><p>Within seconds the door flew open to reveal Sirius’s beaming face and Sarah was immediately swept into a bear hug that lifted her off the ground and brought her dangerously close to the doorjamb.</p><p>“Ah, Sirius! Don’t kill me! I choose life!” she exclaimed.</p><p>“All my favourite people are here again!” Sirius cried, finally letting her go. “Moony! They’re back!” he called over his shoulder.</p><p>A distant yell could be heard.</p><p>“Yes, Sirius, I gathered that by the screams.”</p><p>A moment later, Remus appeared at the end of the hall, Teddy wrapped around his side, a bib tucked into his shirt covered in food mush.</p><p>“Teddy!” Sarah cried, rushing forward to coo at the baby boy. “And hello Remus, I love you, too,” she added, kissing him on the cheek.</p><p>Teddy reached for her with grubby hands but Remus pulled him away.</p><p>“Hang on a second, bud,” he said. “I have to clean you first. I doubt your big sis would want to be covered in all this.”</p><p>Sarah’s heart warmed at the title and she eagerly waited for Remus to clean the food off the small boy before passing him over to Sarah. She hugged Teddy close and put her nose in his hair as Sirius closed the door behind Harry and Draco.</p><p>“How was school?” he asked them all as they began to walk toward the kitchen.</p><p>“It was good,” Draco said, his face lighting up. “Professor McGonagall was saying that we may have the possibility of doing apprenticeships after we graduate. I’ve already been trying to convince her to let me apprentice with Professor Snape’s portrait for Potions.”</p><p>Sarah snorted and sat on the table, holding Teddy close.</p><p>“<em>’Convince’</em> is a very light word for all the methods of manipulation he’s been trying to use,” she commented, making faces at Teddy, who giggled and tried to grab the loose strands of her hair.</p><p>Harry let out a laugh before sobering up at Draco’s dangerous glare.</p><p>“I’m sure Minnie would have enjoyed that,” Sirius said, spinning his seat around so he was sitting on it backwards. “Anything interesting happen?”</p><p>“Apart from Crookshanks running around the school with Lavender’s bra wrapped around him? Nothing,” Sarah said.</p><p>Sirius let out a loud bark of laughter and nearly rocked back out of his chair.</p><p>“Crookshanks did that?” he gasped.</p><p>“Yes,” Harry said, a smile tugging at his lips. “Hermione was telling us how Lavender couldn’t stop shrieking about it.”</p><p>“I am so glad I don’t have to share a room with her,” sighed Sarah. “Being in the same room as Millie and Pansy is bad enough but at least they’re only fucking.”</p><p>Remus, who had at that moment been taking a sip of tea, choked violently and sprayed tea across the table on Sirius and Harry.</p><p>“S-sorry – “ he coughed.</p><p>Draco waved his wand with a smirk and Vanished the tea as Sarah laughed loudly at Sirius and Harry’s disgruntled faces, Teddy laughing along brightly despite not really understanding what was happening.</p><p>“You’ve missed us,” Sarah said, still giggling slightly.</p><p>Remus rolled his eyes as Sirius made kissing faces at them all.</p><p>“How could we not miss this?” Remus asked in a deadpan voice.</p><p>“Rem, just think,” Sirius said brightly, “we have babysitters now!”</p><p>“Please don’t force the baby on us just so you two can fuck,” Draco drawled.</p><p>Sarah placed her hands over Teddy’s ears, causing the boy to squeal in delight and smile gummily.</p><p>“Don’t swear in front of Teddy,” she scolded Draco.</p><p>“You literally said it not five minutes ago!” he cried in return.</p><p>“Maybe just never talk about Sirius and Remus fucking, please,” begged Harry, looking slightly ill. “It’s bad enough knowing that Ron and Hermione go at it in the bed next to mine, I don’t need to know about my godfathers.”</p><p>“What? My sex life doesn’t interest or horrify you?” Sarah said in mock-outrage.</p><p>Harry shrugged. “Walking in on you once was enough to scar me worse than anything I’ve ever seen. Nothing can phase me about you now.”</p><p>Sarah scowled at him as  Sirius, Draco and Remus burst into laughter – the traitors. Sarah turned to Teddy and looked the little boy seriously in his amber eyes.</p><p>“The only reason I deal with such horrid treatment is because I love them, Teddy,” she said with a pout. “Protect me from the nasty meanies.”</p><p>“Ba-ga-guh!”</p><p>“You tell ‘em, Ted.”</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>“Now can I see my boyfriend?” Sarah whined. “Please, please, please? Just let me at least say <em>hello</em>! I haven’t seen him in <em>weeks</em>!”</p><p>“Nope!” Lee said with a smirk, popping the ‘p’. “Boss is busy out back.”</p><p>“Then I’m going to the fucking back,” Sarah grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. “Come on, Lee. I’ve got to babysit Teddy this afternoon and I’d at least like to let Fred know that I’m here.”</p><p>Lee wiggled a finger at her face and she was tempted to try to bite it. If they weren’t standing in the middle of a packed joke shop she might have done it.</p><p>“No can do, Deaumont,” Lee said with a sigh. “Bossman said no interruptions.”</p><p>“Who are you annoying now, Lee?”</p><p>Sarah nearly sighed with relief when Verity appeared behind Lee, looking up at the taller boy distrustfully. The blonde’s expression quickly brightened when she caught sight of the other girl.</p><p>“Sarah! It’s so good to see you! Does Fred know you’re here?” Verity said brightly.</p><p>“No,” Sarah said sourly, glaring at Lee. “<em>Someone</em> refuses to let me go to the back. As if I didn’t work here all last summer!”</p><p>“Lee, stop being a dickhead and let her up,” Verity said sternly, “or I’ll cut your lunch break short.”</p><p>Lee gasped loudly and placed a hand over his heart dramatically.</p><p>“You <em>wouldn’t.”</em> He stared at Verity as if seeing her for the first time.</p><p>“I <em>would</em>,” she replied, glaring back fiercely.</p><p>Sarah took the opportunity to inch past them and up the stairs leading to the backrooms, winking at Verity in thanks once she reached the top.</p><p>She knocked on the heavy oak door and waited for the bark of, “I said no interruptions!” before pushing her way into the backroom.</p><p>Fred looked up irritably when the door opened but gaped in shock when he realised who was standing in the doorway. Sarah raised her hand and flashed a peace sign at him. A second later, she was enveloped in his arms and being swung around the room.</p><p>“When did you get back?” Fred cried as he continued to spin around the room.</p><p>Sarah struggled to keep her grip on him and closed her eyes to stop the dizziness threatening to make her ill.</p><p>“Love, if you don’t stop spinning me I’m going to puke all over you,” she groaned.</p><p>Fred immediately stopped and placed Sarah’s feet back on solid ground. She rested her head on his shoulder as he gripped her tightly and she could practically <em>feel</em> the smile on his face.</p><p>“Look at you,” he said fondly. “You can take on Death Eaters and even old Voldy himself yet motion sickness still makes you its bitch.”</p><p>“Excuse you,” she said thickly, tilting her head to glare up at her boyfriend. “I am <em>no one’s</em> bitch.”</p><p>“Sure, sure,” he said jovially, still beaming widely.</p><p>Sarah stepped back and couldn’t stop her lips from twitching upwards slightly as she took in the expression of pure happiness on Fred’s face. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing him down for a soft kiss.</p><p>“I missed you,” she said. “Sorry I didn’t come by earlier, Sirius and Remus wanted me to babysit Teddy.”</p><p>Fred nuzzled her neck and tightened his arms around her. Pressing a kiss to the hollow where her neck met her shoulder, he said, “Don’t worry about it, babe. You’re here now.”</p><p>Sarah held back a small moan as Fred continued to press kisses up her neck and jaw, teasing the skin softly and most definitely leaving a mark.</p><p>“I can’t stay long,” she said slightly breathlessly. Her hand travelled up into Fred’s hair, which had grown longer than she had last seen it. Absently, she made a mental note to herself to take Fred for a haircut.</p><p>“Then I guess we’ll just have to make the most of this time,” Fred murmured, pressing her body closer to his.</p><p>All other thoughts left her mind as Fred spelled the door silent and locked and commenced to show her just how much he had missed her. Sarah thanked the gods that someone had been smart enough to put a couch in the room, or else her back would have been very sore by the end of their frantic lovemaking. Sarah wouldn’t help but sigh in relief as Fred slid smoothly into her, swallowing his groan in a kiss as they moved together. Fred’s hands in her hair and on her body were so familiar that Sarah felt as if she was coming home. All too soon, the building pleasure finally snapped and consumed them both. Sarah ran her hands up and down Fred’s shuddering back and sunk into the cushions of the couch, tilting her neck to let Fred press his face to her skin, pressing soft touches to it.</p><p>“I can’t wait until you graduate,” he said quietly. “I miss you when you’re at school.”</p><p>Sarah laughed softly and pressed a kiss to Fred’s cheek.</p><p>“I miss you too, darling,” she smiled. “But this isn’t any different from previous years.”</p><p>Fred lifted his head and shot her a look which made her cringe slightly.</p><p>“Alright,” she conceded, “it is <em>slightly</em> different from last year.”</p><p>Fred scoffed and a smile tugged at Sarah’s lips.</p><p>“Get off me, you great brute,” she said, pushing half-heartedly at Fred. He pouted and rolled off her, grabbing up his trousers as he went.</p><p>“What are the chances Lee is outside trying to find a way in?” he smirked, passing Sarah’s discarded clothes to her.</p><p>Sarah snorted and quickly dressed. “Highly likely,” she said. “Knowing him, he most likely followed me up here the minute Verity left him alone. I bet she’s already dragged him back downstairs now though.”</p><p>Fred beamed at the idea of his friend being manhandled by the smaller woman and leaned in quickly to press a kiss to Sarah’s still-swollen lips.</p><p>“Do you think Sirius and Remus would mind if I dropped by tonight after work?” he asked her, gathering her in his arms again.</p><p>She smiled up at him and brushed a hand through his messy hair. “Whether they mind or not doesn’t matter,” she said brightly. “I want you there so they can deal with it. Besides, they like you.”</p><p>“Marvellous,” Fred declared. “I’m so glad my girlfriend’s werewolf and escaped convict godparents like me.”</p><p>Sarah tapped his chin. “Don’t forget war heroes.”</p><p>“Of course. However could I have forgotten that?” Fred smirked.</p><p>Reluctantly, Sarah withdrew from his embrace.</p><p>“I really have to be going now,” she said, kissing Fred quickly. “I’ll see you tonight.”</p><p>“See you tonight,” Fred grinned. “Love you.”</p><p>“Love you too!” she called as she left the room.</p><p>Sarah smirked broadly at Lee as she passed the busy counter and winked at Verity’s grin before exiting the store and Disapparating in a whirl of snow.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>“I swear Mum’s cooking gets better every year,” Ron groaned from his reclined position on the couch. In his hand was a large platter of mince pies.</p><p>Harry could barely stand to look at the delicious pastries; they had all just finished a traditional Weasley Christmas dinner and he felt full to bursting. Draco obviously felt the same if the way he was lying flat on his stomach before the fire was any indication. Sarah, too, was lying prone beside him, Teddy on her stomach, both of them dozing peacefully.</p><p>“It’s been ages since I’ve seen Mum’s cooking put someone to sleep,” Ginny commented across from Harry. Her arm was draped over Luna’s shoulder as the other girl talked energetically with Charlie about a strange creature Harry had no hope of comprehending. Hermione was beside the pair and wore a pained expression as she seemed to be struggling not to interject.</p><p>“I swear the last time was when I was five and Ron had accidentally drunk Dad’s entire glass of strong eggnog,” Ginny continued, summoning a mince pie from her brother’s platter. “He was out like a light almost immediately.”</p><p>Ron glowered at his sister and moved the platter out of her line of sight. “I was six, what did you expect to happen?” he demanded. “Besides, that wasn’t because of Mum’s cooking. Do you remember when we had our cousin Larry over that one time and Mum wouldn’t stop feeding him? He literally just sat there as he was practically force-fed!”</p><p>Harry let the comforting atmosphere of the Burrow wash over him as he sat brushing a hand through Draco’s silky hair. Christmas lights glinted above them and the room smelt of mulled wine, cookies and the roast they had had for dinner.</p><p>In the far corner, Sirius was passionately reciting one of the adventures he and the other Marauders had gone on during their schools years as Mr Weasley, Fred, Bill and Fleur watched on in glee, Remus shaking his head every so often and correcting Sirius when the details became slightly too exaggerated.</p><p>Mrs Weasley was still bustling around the room, handing out food and drinks to everyone despite the fact that most of them could barely manage to move. Andromeda and Narcissa Malfoy watched the proceedings from their strategic position next to the hard-to-reach Christmas tree with matching soft smiles.</p><p>“What are you grinning about?”</p><p>Harry turned to face Draco as the other boy propped himself up on his elbows and glanced Harry’s way.</p><p>“Seriously, Potter, you look like a sappy teenager,” Draco continued.</p><p>Harry smiled wider and bent down to capture Draco’s soft lips in a kiss. The other boy didn’t complain and happily followed along. When they pulled back, grey eyes shone brightly as they looked at Harry.</p><p>“What’s with the sudden sentimentality?” he asked.</p><p>“I’m just happy we’re all here,” Harry replied. He gripped one of Draco’s hands tightly in his and Draco’s curious expression softened into a sad smile.</p><p>“Nearly all of us,” he murmured quietly, glancing briefly in Fred’s direction. The redhead’s smile didn’t reach his eyes and his hands were free of the drinks generously gifted by his mother.</p><p>Harry had been nervous about the first Christmas after the war. Everything was still too recent – every loss and heartbreak and nightmare. But somehow, they had managed to find a shred of happiness and make it grow until the sorrow was pushed away. Yes, there had still been some tears hastily brushed away when people thought no one was looking, but overall, everyone was healing.</p><p>“Do you think we should wake Sarah up?” Harry asked Draco, absently tracing his thumb along the other boy’s hand.</p><p>Draco moved so that his back was resting against Harry’s chest and looked down at his sleeping friend and godson.</p><p>“No,” he finally said. “She needs to rest. She’s been having nightmares again.”</p><p>“I don’t blame her,” Harry said quietly. “This time last year she had just been crushed by a giant snake.”</p><p>Draco shivered slightly against him and Harry wrapped his arms around the other boy, holding him tightly.</p><p>“We’re okay now,” Harry whispered to Draco. “All of us.”</p><p>Draco turned his head and pressed his lips to Harry’s and Harry leant forward slightly, seeking that familiar, comforting warmth.</p><p>“Oi, get a room you two!” Ron called, throwing a mince pie at them.</p><p>“Ronald, honestly, leave them alone!” Hermione’s voice joined the laughter echoing around the room and Harry and Draco broke apart. Unfortunately, all the sound had woken up Sarah and Teddy.</p><p>“Ugh, can’t anyone have peace and quiet to sleep off a food coma?” Sarah grumbled, allowing herself to be pulled upright by Ginny, Teddy clutched to her chest.</p><p>The little boy’s hair had kept flickering between red, black, brown and white-blond but had eventually settled on the same auburn that Sarah was currently sporting. With his gleaming green eyes, Harry noticed that Teddy almost looked like Sarah’s brother. Remus seemed to be thinking the same thing if his hurried summoning of a camera was anything to go by.</p><p>“Did you just take a photo of me?” Sarah demanded, glaring at her godfather. “I just woke up!”</p><p>“You look adorable, babe,” Fred announced. “Remus, can I have a copy of that? I want to keep it for a special occasion.”</p><p>“Fuck you, Fred!” Sarah exclaimed, clamping her hands over Teddy’s ears. The little boy had already fallen back to sleep, however.</p><p>“You already do,” Fred replied in a leering voice. “Regularly, in fact.”</p><p>Sarah turned bright red and shot a Stinging Hex at her boyfriend as everyone in the room descended into laughter or shocked cries of reprimand. Mrs Weasley smacked Fred around the back of the head for his inappropriateness while Mr Weasley stayed suspiciously quiet.</p><p>Ron was gasping for breath on the couch, the platter of mince pies forgotten. “Oh Merlin, you should see your face, Sarah – <em>BLOODY HELL, OUCH</em>!”</p><p>Sarah’s red face smirked triumphantly and Harry smiled as Draco giggled quietly in his arms.</p><p>Harry felt contentment like no other bloom in his chest as he sat here with his family, watching as Sarah passed Teddy to Draco in order to attack Ron with a pillow, the redheaded boy fighting back immediately only to be flattened by Ginny, a full-blown pillow fight breaking out.</p><p>Harry knew that if he had to go through everything he already had in order to get to where he was now, he would do it without hesitation. For he finally had a home and people to love who loved him – and that was all he ever needed.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>N.E.W.Ts hit them all like a barreling train.</p><p>The months leading up to them had been full of mind-numbing study and stress and more than one nervous breakdown. It was unsurprising that Hermione, Draco and Sarah had all been violently wrenched away from their study by Blaise, Ron and Harry on one of the first warm, sunny days of the new term after the March break.</p><p>But at last, their exams were over.</p><p>Ten days of horrid, terrifying written and practical examinations until they couldn’t tell up from down.</p><p>But they were done.</p><p>Sarah didn’t know what to do with herself. She had already finished all the preparatory Healer examinations in May and had already been accepted into an advanced program with St Mungos for an August start. Hermione and Draco had decided to pursue careers in Magical Law while Ron and Seamus applied for the Aurors program. Surprisingly enough, Blaise was joining Sarah at St Mungos. She still couldn’t get the dumbstruck look on Draco’s face out of her head when Blaise had told them. Pansy would be terrifying the world doing whatever she pleased while Millicent tried to keep her contained. Theo was doing a Potions Mastery under Slughorn and Harry was kicking back and relaxing for however long he wanted.</p><p>Right now, all the seventh and eighth years were lounging outside in large groups around the lake, soaking up the sunshine after their final exams. Laughter and loud shouts echoed across the grounds from an impromptu game which Sarah hadn’t bothered to open her eyes to identify. She could hear Luna humming absently from where she was sitting braiding Draco’s hair, last Sarah had checked.</p><p>“If you don’t stop moving, I’ll Body-Bind you,” Sarah said to Harry in a warning tone after he shuffled again, dislodging her head from his stomach.</p><p>“Sorry,” he muttered. “There’s a rock.”</p><p>“Completely useless sometimes,” Sarah announced, sitting up and pointing at wand at the grass Harry had just vacated. She shot a Cushioning Charm at it and shook her head at the dark-haired boy. “Honestly, you can take down a murderous Dark Lord but can’t cast a simple Cushioning Charm.”</p><p>“All right, shut up you,” Harry said, rolling his eyes.</p><p>Sarah smirked and dropped back into her original position, causing Harry to let out an <em>Oomph!</em> Draco chuckled and a loud snort told Sarah that Ginny had joined them again.</p><p>“When do you guys get your flat?” Ginny asked, directing the question at Draco.</p><p>“We should be able to move in next week,” Draco replied. “The landlord was a bit hesitant about a potions room but they eventually agreed.”</p><p>Ginny snorted and Sarah jerked in surprise when the other girl’s head suddenly dropped onto her stomach.</p><p>“I still can’t believe you chose to live with these two instead of Fred,” Ginny told her. “I honestly thought you’d be married as soon as you graduated.”</p><p>Sarah smirked at Ginny’s irritated pout.</p><p>“This flat is closer to St Mungos,” she replied. “Besides, Fred will practically be living with me. And it’s just until I finish training.”</p><p>“Ugh I know,” Ginny groaned. “But seriously, Mum was expecting a wedding soon.”</p><p>Sarah sighed as Harry and Draco broke out into loud snickers.</p><p>“Oh, shut up you two,” she snapped half-heartedly. “I’m going to have to fight Molly off at Christmas, have some sympathy.”</p><p>“None,” Draco sniggered. “She’s already been hinting at Hermione and me that winter weddings are lovely.”</p><p>Harry sat up suddenly, throwing both Sarah and Ginny off with huffs of annoyance. Sarah broke out laughing at the worried expression on his face.</p><p>“Did Molly actually say that?” he asked anxiously. “Please don’t tell me she’s expecting a wedding any time soon.”</p><p>Draco raised a single eyebrow at his boyfriend.</p><p>“Are you telling me that you <em>don’t</em> want to marry me?” he asked evenly.</p><p>Harry’s green eyes widened and he looked between Sarah, Luna and Ginny helplessly. Sarah just smirked and cocked her head at him cheekily.</p><p>“Of course I want to marry you!” Harry exclaimed. “I just – er – don’t want to – you know – get married – right a-away….”</p><p>Draco managed to keep a straight for a few seconds longer before bursting into laughter.</p><p>“Oh, you should have seen your face,” he chuckled, wiping his eyes. “You looked terrified. Don’t worry darling, I want to finish my training before any talks of marriage start.”</p><p>Harry sighed in obvious relief and leant forward to kiss Draco, the other boy reciprocating enthusiastically. When it deepened Sarah threw a handful of grass at them.</p><p>“Get a room,” she laughed.</p><p>“Why’d you make them stop?” pouted Ginny, her blazing hair rumpled around her face.</p><p>“Gin!” Sarah said, rolling her eyes. “Honestly, you act as though you don’t have a girlfriend sitting right there.”</p><p>“You’re right,” Ginny said brightly. “I should be snogging her.”</p><p>And she began doing just that, Luna smiling happily the entire time.</p><p>“Thanks Sarah,” Draco said drily. “Now we have to move.”</p><p>“Fuck off, Draco,” Sarah said as Ginny showed them all the finger, her lips still connected to Luna’s.</p><p>“There are Ron and Hermione,” Harry suddenly said, pointing behind them. “I’m going to go to them now.”</p><p>“Don’t you fucking abandon us!” Draco exclaimed, hurriedly getting to his feet as Harry raced off with a backwards smirk.</p><p>Sarah bolted after them and leapt at where the two boys had come to a stop next to Ron, causing all four of them to tumble to the ground.</p><p>“I’m surrounded by children,” Hermione said with a sigh, looking down at them all as they struggled for breath around laughter and wrestled in an effort to get upright.</p><p>“You love us, ‘Mione,” Harry said with a bright grin before doubling over as Ron’s elbow caught him in the stomach.</p><p>Sarah made a hasty retreat and jumped to her feet, dusting off her skirt. She smirked down at the entangled boys and then at Hermione, who was watching them with a fond expression on her face.</p><p>“Did you sort everything out with McGonagall?” Sarah asked her.</p><p>Hermione looked at her and smiled brightly. “Yes! She reached out to a few colleagues about my idea for the potential reforms and they want to have a meeting with me about them.”</p><p>“That’s brilliant, Hermione!” Sarah exclaimed.</p><p>Ron rose unsteadily to his feet and shook his head fondly at his girlfriend. “How she’s going to do this alongside her normal training, I have no idea.”</p><p>“It’s called time management, Ronald,” Hermione said, her lips twitching up at the edges.</p><p>“Yeah, Ronald,” Draco said, standing up and holding out a hand for Harry, “We wouldn’t expect you to understand the concept.”</p><p>“Just because I forgot about that <em>one</em> assignment – “</p><p>“All right, I’m starving!” Sarah interjected quickly. “Why don’t we head in for lunch?”</p><p>“Sounds great, Sarah,” Harry readily agreed, smirking at his boyfriend and best friend.</p><p>“Don’t forget to pack tonight,” Hermione reminded them. “The train leaves early tomorrow.”</p><p>“Yes, Hermione,” Harry said with a sigh. “It’s not like we haven’t done this for seven years now.”</p><p>The five of them made their up to the castle as Hermione and Harry descended into good-natured bickering. Draco caught Sarah’s hand and held it loosely as they passed the various groups of relaxing students.</p><p>“It’s going to be weird not coming back here,” he said quietly, eyes on the towering stone turrets.</p><p>“I think it’s time,” Sarah said in a slightly melancholic tone. “We’ve grown past the age where we need Hogwarts. We need to test our luck in the world now.”</p><p>Draco smiled softly at her and squeezed her hand.</p><p>“Us against the world, right?”</p><p>She smirked back at him.</p><p>“No other way I’d want it to be.”</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter Four</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>July 2002</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>Sarah collapsed onto the couch and let out a long groan of relief. <em>So soft. Just like clouds. So sleepy. </em>Maybe she could just take a short nap. She could already feel the soothing call of oblivion tickling her mind and if she just closed her eyes and relaxed a bit further –</p><p>
  <em>SLAM!</em>
</p><p>Or not.</p><p>“Sarah, get your lazy arse up! We’re leaving in ten minutes!” Draco shouted as he stomped through the flat. Although, if you asked him, he would say that he ‘<em>elegantly strode’</em> through the rooms and would never dare to ‘<em>stomp</em>’ in a way unbecoming of a Malfoy.</p><p>“I literally can’t move,” she called back, her voice muffled by the soft, silky, pillows which were oh so comfortable –</p><p>“I don’t care, get up.”</p><p>Sarah groaned and rolled off the couch, getting her feet under her at the last second. She sulked towards the open bathroom door where Draco was tugging his work uniform over his head.</p><p>“Remind me again why we agreed to do this?” she asked, pushing past him and turning on the shower.</p><p>“Because we promised Hermione that we would go to this gala,” Draco said calmly, turning away as Sarah stripped off her scrubs and stepped into the shower, pulling the screen closed behind her.</p><p>“I hate how kind we are sometimes,” she grumbled over the water. Draco snorted vanished for a moment before returning, the sound of clothes being set on the basin meeting Sarah’s ears.</p><p>“Five minutes,” Draco said and Sarah could practically <em>hear</em> the smirk on his face.</p><p>“Grab me something to eat, will you?” she called as he left the bathroom again.</p><p>“We’re eating there!”</p><p>“I didn’t have lunch!” The fridge door closed loudly and Sarah smirked before calling out, “I can hear you rolling your eyes!”</p><p>“Fuck off!”</p><p>“Bloody make me!”</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>“I forgot how uncomfortable these robes are.”</p><p>Fred fidgeted again in his seat and raised a hand to tug at the collar of his dress robes. Sarah grabbed it in her own and placed them in her lap.</p><p>“Stop playing with it,” she whispered. “You look fine.”</p><p>“Doesn’t stop the discomfort,” murmured Fred in her ear.</p><p>Sarah smirked softly before clearing her expression and focusing on whatever Kingsley had been talking about for the last ten minutes. The Minister looked as excited to be there as she felt. On her other side, Draco was sitting watching attentively as Harry looked close to falling asleep. Their table, unfortunately, had a few important Ministry officials as well as Sarah’s friends so she couldn’t even risk flicking something at Harry to wake him up. Luckily, Draco seemed to catch onto his boyfriend’s dropping head and subtly poked him, causing Harry’s head to jerk up and looked around blearily for a moment before he scowled.</p><p>“Tone it down slightly, love,” Draco murmured. “Kingsley doesn’t deserve your death glare.”</p><p>Fred covered a snort by turning it into a cough, eyeing Head Auror Robards across from him warily.</p><p>Kingsley finally finished his speech and the food appeared. Sarah could practically hear Ron’s stomach grumbling from four tables away.</p><p>“Thank Merlin,” Harry muttered, before digging in. Fred matched his enthusiasm.</p><p>“So Miss Deaumont,” one of the Ministry officials said as the first course came to an end, “I hear you’ve just completed your Healer’s course at St Mungos.”</p><p>Sarah dabbed her mouth with a napkin before replying, “I did. I was also lucky enough to have Ernest Worthington as my mentor. It’s thanks to him I achieved as well as I did.”</p><p>“He speaks very highly of you,” said the same witch. Sarah couldn’t for the life of her remember the witch’s name. Thankfully, the witch turned towards Draco next. “And Mr Malfoy, I believe you were partly responsible for the legislation that just passed regarding werewolf rights?”</p><p>“Well, it was mainly Hermione’s idea but yes, I helped organise the proposal,” Draco said smoothly.</p><p>Sarah tuned out the rest of the conversation and let her eyes wander lazily around the large Ministry ballroom. Familiar faces popped out from the various tables: Parvati Patil and her new husband, Dean Thomas with his arm slung around Seamus Finnigan, Pansy on the arm of a Russian supermodel Sarah couldn’t recall the name of, Daphne and Theo looking as exhausted as Sarah felt (they had had their first child only a month ago), and Sirius and Remus, both grinning broadly at something Kingsley was saying a few tables over.</p><p>A tap on her arm brought her attention back to the conversation at her own table. Fred was looked at her questioningly and she realised he must have asked her something.</p><p>“Sorry what did you say?” she said apologetically.</p><p>Fred rolled his eyes fondly at her and said, “Draco talking about getting a drink after this. Apparently, a few of his colleagues were going to celebrate Hermione’s promotion. I asked if you wanted to go.”</p><p>“Are you going?” Sarah asked Harry, who was idly tracing patterns on Draco’s hand as Draco spoke energetically with another Ministry official.</p><p>Harry looked up and his radiant green eyes caught hers. He shrugged.</p><p>“If you guys don’t then I might pass,” he said. “I don’t think I could keep up with all their legal jargon.”</p><p>“You would keep up perfectly well,” Draco interjected, dropping a quick kiss to Harry’s kiss. “And you’d never leave poor Ronald alone,” he added before turning back to his previous conversation.</p><p>“I definitely would,” Harry said in a whisper to Sarah and Fred, leaning forward slightly. “The bastard raked me out of nearly fifty galleons last week at the pub.”</p><p>“Your own fault for gambling whilst drunk,” Sarah chided. “I warned you not to go against Ron.”</p><p>“Yeah, well, I was hopeful,” Harry said with a lopsided smile. “It was <em>Quidditch</em>. How was I supposed to guess that the Chudley Cannons would actually <em>win</em> a match.”</p><p>Fred snorted and lay an arm across Sarah’s shoulders, the smooth fabric of his robes tickling the bare skin.</p><p>“Never underestimate my little brother’s support of the Cannons,” he said wisely. “George and I never understood how he did it. They’re absolutely atrocious.”</p><p>It had taken a while, but now Fred could say George’s name without cringing. It had taken nearly as long to get him to be able to look a mirror again. Sometimes one of them would go quiet at a mention of him and Christmases always felt slightly empty, but they were all much better.</p><p>“Don’t say that,” Sarah warned with a quick glance toward where Ron was sitting across the room, “He’ll hear you and start an argument. I couldn’t possibly deal with that right now.”</p><p>“You’re just pissed that your team lost,” Fred said, pecking her cheek lightly.</p><p>“I told you not to mention that,” Sarah said with a smile that bared her teeth. “Unless you want to be sleeping on the couch…?”</p><p>“Sorry, sorry,” Fred said quickly, kissing her until Harry cleared his throat loudly.</p><p>“You never answered if you’re going to come out with us?” he prompted.</p><p>Sarah groaned and leant back against Fred, one of his hands coming up to play with the loose strands of her hair.</p><p>“I’m so exhausted I don’t know if I’ll be able to stay awake,” she said. “I had nonstop patients all day and Howard disappeared to Merlin knows where.”</p><p>“Why don’t we make an appearance and give our regards to Hermione and then go home?” suggested Fred. “Harry here can make sure his boy doesn’t stay out too late talking of legal petitions and complicated bindings. Honestly, I was surprised Percy did ask Draco to marry him when he mentioned cauldron laws.”</p><p>Draco, still in deep conversation with Mr Whitmore (Whiteshire? Wotting?), didn’t even look away as he shot Fred the middle finger, Harry snorting into his champagne glass as a result.</p><p>“Elegant,” Sarah said drily, passing Harry a napkin to clean up the spilt drink. She turned to Fred and answered his earlier question. “That should be fine. As long as I don’t have to talk to Smith, that bastard always tries to grope me when he sees me.”</p><p>“You’d think he’d have learnt his lesson by now,” Fred muttered darkly. After Sarah had told him about the incident in eighth year, Fred had marched right up to Smith during graduation and clocked him in the face, causing the weedy man to fall into a groaning heap on the floor. Sarah had never loved Fred more.</p><p>“Don’t forget that Molly wants us all at the Burrow on Sunday for lunch,” Harry suddenly reminded them. “Draco and I will most likely be slightly late. Narcissa wanted to have breakfast with us for some reason.”</p><p>Sarah narrowed her eyes. “I was invited to that as well. It was quite unusual wasn’t it?”</p><p>“Do you know why she all wants us there that day?” Harry asked. “Couldn’t we meet her Saturday, like usual?”</p><p>“She has something she wants to tell us,” Draco said, interjecting himself into their conversation. “She didn’t say what though. That always makes me slightly nervous.”</p><p>“Does this mean I’ll have to wear robes again?” Fred said with a pout.</p><p>Sarah smiled reassuringly at him.</p><p>“Of course not,” she said. “We’re going to the Burrow afterwards. Narcissa will understand if we’re in slightly more casual attire.”</p><p>A sudden chiming indicated the end of the meal and guests began to rise from their chairs. Draco eagerly got to his feet and looped his arm through Harry’s. Sarah and Fred rose at a more leisurely pace.</p><p>“Right, we’re all getting drinks, aren’t we?” Draco announced. “I promised Hermione but told her we couldn’t stay long.”</p><p>“What reason did you give?” Sarah asked curiously.</p><p>“I said that if I had to talk about legislation for another hour today I’d probably quit and she’d lose the best Barrister she has,” Draco replied with a coy smile. “She was very willing to accept my terms.”</p><p>“Brilliant,” Sarah said in relief. “That means she won’t be upset when Fred and I leave early too.”</p><p>“Look, Ron’s waving at us,” Harry said, pointing over the crowd.</p><p>Even with her heels, Sarah could barely see over all the heads between them and the redhead. The three young men didn’t seem to have the same issue as they immediately began leading her through the milling people.</p><p>“Why don’t you just make yourself taller?” Fred asked her quietly.</p><p>Sarah huffed. “I like my height and I’m not <em>short</em>. You three are just ridiculously tall. And besides, Hermione and Pansy would hex me if were any taller than them, so it’s not worth the risk.”</p><p>“Whatever you say, love,” Fred said with a smirk.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Sunday morning dawned bright and chilly. The soft pattering of rain could be heard against the window and yet sunlight still streamed in across the bed. Sarah sighed as she woke up and immediately pressed back against the solid body behind her, rotating her hips slightly against the warm hardness she met there. A soft groan near her ear and a huffed breath caused a smile to slowly spread its way across her face. A gentle hand trailed itself across her waist and down her hip as a wet mouth latched onto the side of her neck.</p><p>She couldn’t resist rocking backwards again and the hand tightened on her hip, drawing her body back harder against Fred’s.</p><p>“You always feel so good,” Fred murmured in her neck, his other hand coming underneath her body to tease at her ribs in soft motions. “I don’t think I could ever get tired of this.”</p><p>“Well that’s good considering that you won’t be getting rid of me any time soon,” Sarah said, slightly breathlessly as Fred’s hand dipped lower.</p><p>She closed her eyes and arched back as his fingers circled the sensitive apex of her thighs, pressing harder when she left out a groan. She could feel Fred smiling against her neck and he continued to press wet kisses to her heated skin.</p><p>Sarah rolled over so that she was facing Fred. She captured his mouth in s slow kiss, her tongue reaching out to meet his. Even after all the years they had been together, each kiss felt electrifying and addictive. Sarah knew that no one else would make her feel the way Fred did.</p><p>Fred shifted closer and pushed Sarah back into the mattress, pressing his body down on top of hers. They both groaned as Sarah wrapped her legs around his waist, arching up to meet him as he thrust down shallowly.</p><p>“Wand,” Sarah said in between kisses.</p><p>Fred reached towards the bedside table, never breaking the kiss and grabbed the first wand he touched. Wordlessly, he cast the necessary protective spells before throwing the wand away and moving to thread his fingers through Sarah’s loose hair.</p><p>He continued to kiss her neck and chest, slowly driving Sarah mad with desire until she was breathing heavily under him, trying to chase after any friction she could. She reached down to grasp Fred’s dick in her hand and stroked it, subtly trying to bring him closer so he would enter her.</p><p>With a smug smile and hard kiss, Fred batted her hand away and instead moved further down her body, causing Sarah to groan in slight annoyance and then pleasure when his tongue probed at her entrance.</p><p>“I swear to Merlin you’re trying to kill me,” she muttered weakly, grasping Fred’s hair with one hand as the other gripped the sheets beside her.</p><p>“If I killed you I wouldn’t be able to do this,” Fred said, before thrusting slowly into her with his tongue.</p><p>Sarah let out a long groan and tugged at his hair so that he raised his head.</p><p>“I want you in me, <em>now</em>,” she said when he looked at her in question. “And if you don’t, I’ll pin you down and do it myself.”</p><p>Fred’s lust-filled eyes shone brightly at the idea before he crawled back up her body.</p><p>“Maybe later,” he said, tilting her head up for a bruising kiss as he positioned himself and smoothly slid into her.</p><p>They both moaned lowly as Fred began to move, Sarah lifting her hips to meet his rhythm. It was slow and deep and oh so excruciatingly lovely. Sex with Fred only got better every time they did it, as familiar places were kissed or gently bitten to get the best reaction, hands stroked sensitive skin and Fred moved at just the right angle to make Sarah an incoherent mess beneath him.</p><p>Fred began to move faster as he got closer to completion and Sarah’s mouth moved to kiss and suck at the hollow of his neck, eliciting a deep moan from him. Sarah bit down slightly harder than she meant to when her orgasm wracked through her, her body tensing and shuddering and Fred began to thrust into her even faster, panting slightly as he kissed her. Sarah wrapped her arms around him and tensed, swallowing his groan as he came, thrusting hard into her a few more times before stilling. She kissed around his face as he rode down his orgasm before finally pulling out and dropping slightly to the side so that he wasn’t crushing Sarah.</p><p>Warm sunlight washed over them and made Fred’s hair, a few shades darker than his other siblings’, glow a warm red like the embers in a dying fire. Sarah traced a finger across his brow bone and nose, trailing over his swollen lips and up his jaw.</p><p>“Hmm, I love you,” he murmured, looping a hand across her waist and pulling her close to him.</p><p>“I love you, too,” she said, kissing him softly. When they broke apart she said, “I’ve been thinking. I think we should move into the Manor.”</p><p>Fred’s eye opened, looking like warm honey in the sunlight. He shifted slightly so that he could properly face Sarah without letting go of her.</p><p>“Your Manor?” he asked.</p><p>“No, Malfoy Manor,” she said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. “Yes, my Manor. It’s basically just been sitting there ever since Greg and Theo moved out.”</p><p>“When do you want to move in?” he said, nuzzling her neck briefly.</p><p>“Anytime we want,” she replied. “I’ll just get the house-elves to clean it up a bit.”</p><p>She glanced up at him to see that he had a large smile lighting up his face.</p><p>“I would love that,” he said sincerely. “Let’s go as soon as we can.”</p><p>“Yeah? You’re positive?” Sarah said, smiling up at him.</p><p>“I don’t care where we live as long as I get to live with you,” Fred said, causing Sarah to blush slightly. “A house would be wonderful. That way we’ll have lots of space for all our children to run around in causing havoc.”</p><p>“Now, hang on, I only agreed to two children,” Sarah said, raising an eyebrow at him. “Don’t be expecting a small army of them.”</p><p>Fred laughed brightly and rolled on top of her, pecking her quickly.</p><p>“Imagine that,” he said gleefully, “a small horde of little children doing crazy experiments and picking fights.”</p><p>“I never picked fights,” Sarah said in an affronted tone. “Trouble usually found me because I was always with Harry.”</p><p>Fred considered this for a moment. “I guess that’s true,” he conceded. He began to place kisses on the skin he could reach as he kept talking. “Maybe they’ll be too smart for their own good. Or they’ll suddenly change their appearance. Who knows, maybe they’ll become unregistered animagi as well?”</p><p>“Oh, ha ha, very funny,” Sarah said with a smirk. “You’re acting like you aren’t one as well.”</p><p>“You did it first,” he said cheekily, mouthing under her jaw. “And no one is really going to care about a golden retriever suddenly popping up at random places. People love dogs.”</p><p>“They also love cats,” Sarah pointed out, winding her hand between them and gripping Fred’s rapidly hardening prick. He let out a soft groan but didn’t stop pressing kisses to her neck and chest.</p><p>“Ones that don’t suddenly change colour whenever they get startled,” he pointed out.</p><p>“That was <em>one </em>time,” Sarah said, twisting her hand tightly. “Now shut up and kiss me.”</p><p>And with that she flipped them over and grinned down at him as she proceeded to worship every inch of his body.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>“You have a hickey behind your ear,” Draco said to Sarah after they Apparated into the parlour of Malfoy Manor.</p><p>“Shit,” Sarah muttered, casting a non-verbal healing spell just as Narcissa strode into the room, beaming at the four of them.</p><p>“Darlings!” she cried. “It’s been too long.”</p><p>“Mother, you saw Sarah and me last week,” Draco noted, bending down to kiss his mother on the cheek.</p><p>“Yes, but it’s been longer since I’ve last seen Harry and Fred,” Narcissa said, hugging them all. “You’re all so busy these days.”</p><p>“Sorry Cissy,” Sarah said. “You know how hectic work is.”</p><p>“Do not worry about it,” Narcissa said, waving a small hand at them all before leading them towards the lower sunroom. “I’m just glad you’re all well.”</p><p>“What about you, Narcissa?” Harry asked her. “How have you been?”</p><p>“Oh, you know,” Narcissa said breezily, “the usual mind-numbing hobbies. I’ve taken up painting recently. Unfortunately, it seems I do not share the natural talent that Draco has. I believe I may try something less ego smothering next time.”</p><p>Narcissa’s house-arrest was nearly over and she would soon be able to escape from the various past-times she had picked up in the last three years.</p><p>“Enough about me,” she continued as they entered the sunroom to find a quaint tea service set up in front of the low chairs. “How was the Ministry gala last night?”</p><p>Sarah let Draco explain the gala as she made tea for everyone.</p><p>“Sounds extremely boring,” Narcissa stated bluntly. Sarah snorted into her tea and barely avoided splashing it everywhere. “I must say, those Ministry people never know how to throw an <em>actual</em> party. They focus much too long on the bureaucracy and those stuffy speeches.”</p><p>“Well, I’ll remember to come to you if I ever need a party planned,” Fred told her sweetly, inclining his teacup in her direction.</p><p>Narcissa batted a hand at him and said to Sarah, “He’s a charmer that one, be careful.”</p><p>Sarah smirked and turned to Fred, saying, “I’m sure I can handle him.”</p><p>“What did you want to tell us, Mother?” Draco said, shooting Harry a sharp look as the other man went to open his mouth to surely make an inappropriate comment. “Your letter was quite vague.”</p><p>“Ah, yes, that,” Narcissa said, setting down her teacup and clasping her hands in her lap. She peered intently at them all, Draco and Sarah in particular. “Once my house arrest is over I will be moving to one of our properties in France.”</p><p>“<em>What</em>?”</p><p>Both Sarah and Draco gaped at Narcissa, who looked completely unfazed by their reactions.</p><p>“But Mother – why?” Draco exclaimed. “You’ll be allowed back into society. You don’t have to <em>leave</em> – “</p><p>“I may be allowed back in society but I’m afraid that they will never see me as anything more than a Death Eater’s wife,” Narcissa said calmly.</p><p>“But – “</p><p>“Enough, darling,” Narcissa interrupted Draco. “I have made up my mind. It’s not like we can’t visit each other. I’m going to the Continent, not dying.”</p><p>“But Narcissa,” Sarah said weakly, “surely you don’t have to leave right away? I mean, wouldn’t it help if people saw you out and about with us all?”</p><p>Narcissa smiled warmly at Sarah. “It is for the best,” she said. “I have already told Andy and she and Ziara have offered to help me settle in. I’m sure you remember the estate in Marseille? Kingsley has kindly offered me the use of a long-distance Portkey.”</p><p>Sarah and Draco looked helplessly at Narcissa as they processed her words.</p><p>“Now, don’t try to persuade me otherwise,” Narcissa warned them. “I know you both and I won’t hear it. You can come help me get comfortable but I <em>am</em> going. Which brings us to my next point – Draco, I have already been in conference with the goblins at Gringotts to ensure that you have full access and control over the family vaults and assets, including the Manor. Seeing as your father is currently indisposed, you will be named Master.”</p><p>Sarah thought that <em>indisposed</em> was a rather unique way of describing Lucius’ life imprisonment in Azkaban but wisely chose not to comment on it. Instead, she turned towards Draco, who was looking quite similar to the way he had when Teddy had accidentally vomited all over him one time.</p><p>“Sarah,” Narcissa continued, ignoring Draco’s dumbstruck expression, “I have also labelled you as an official heir should anything happen to Draco. You are like a daughter to me and I thought that I ought to do something to represent that.”</p><p>Now it was Sarah’s turn to look as though she had been struck by a Bludger.</p><p>“Now, I think we could all use something to eat,” Narcissa said brightly. “Lucy!”</p><p>A house-elf in a miniature maid’s outfit appeared with a crack before them and bowed towards Narcissa.</p><p>“Please bring us all a selection of sandwiches and pastries, Lucy,” Narcissa asked the elf. “We’ll have it here, if you don’t mind.”</p><p>Lucy nodded her head and disappeared.</p><p>“Honestly, you two, pull yourselves together,” Narcissa sighed, eyeing Draco and Sarah sternly. “Harry and Fred look so conflicted right now, it surely can’t be good for their health to have you both catatonic.”</p><p>Sarah’s mouth snapped shut and she glowered at Narcissa.</p><p>“You can’t just drop those bombs on us and expect us to be fine!” she exclaimed. “At least give us a few minutes to process.”</p><p>“I gave you plenty of time,” Narcissa said with a slight smile. “And now you know, so I say we enjoy a nice brunch before you all head off for a delightful lunch at the Burrow.”</p><p>When the food arrived, Draco had managed to sort out his internal struggles. He faced his mother severely and asked, “When will you be leaving?”</p><p>Narcissa examined a blueberry pastry for a moment before answering. “At latest it will be November,” she said. “I have a few things left to do here before I leave and of course, I’ll be back for Christmas. Unless you wish to spend it with me in France?” she asked them with a smirk, knowing full well that Molly Weasley would never let any of her children be away for Christmas.</p><p>“I’d love to see Mum’s face if you suggest that,” Fred said brightly. “She’d probably try to convince you to do a Portkey trip back to here in time for lunch.”</p><p>“I’m sure Mother can go to the trouble of coming here for Christmas,” Draco said in a slightly dry voice, obviously unimpressed with his mother’s choice of news.</p><p>Narcissa simply smiled serenely at her son before turning to Harry.</p><p>“Now, Harry – Sarah mentioned to me that you have nearly finished your work on your parent’s house at Godric’s Hollow?” she said. “I would love to see it once you’ve finished. Draco has spoken more highly about your skills.”</p><p>Harry flushed slightly and quickly gulped down the sandwich he was eating.</p><p>“I’d like that very much, Narcissa,” he said once he had recovered. “Although, it’s nothing fancy. I’ve mainly just fixed the damage and refurnished it. I should be finished in a few months, if not early next year.”</p><p>“How wonderful,” Narcissa said with a large smile. “I’m sure your parents would be incredibly proud of you.”</p><p>“Thank you,” Harry said slightly sheepishly.</p><p>They spent another hour talking with Narcissa, with Draco and Sarah making somewhat frostier comments than usual at the older woman, who would simply smile indulgently and chide them for overreacting. When it was finally time for them to leave for the Burrow, they all exchanged hugs and kisses on cheeks before Narcissa waved them off, smirking widely at the disgruntled expression on Draco’s face.</p><p>“Have a lovely day, darlings! Try not to get frown lines,” she called before they Apparated away.</p><p>“I can’t believe her!” Draco exclaimed once they had reappeared in the front lawn of the Burrow. “I absolutely <em>cannot</em> <em>believe her</em>! No warning or anything!”</p><p>“Well, you did say that her vague letter was slightly worrisome,” Harry pointed out, calmly running a hand up and down Draco’s back as the other man ranted.</p><p>“France!” he was saying. “She must have been planning this for ages! The elves would have had to fix the place up – we haven’t been there is <em>ages</em>. Honestly, I think that she’s finally gone mad. <em>France</em>!”</p><p>“Relax, Draco,” Fred said, thumping Draco on the shoulder. “It’s a quick Portkey away.”</p><p>“It’s not that she’s leaving which is the problem,” Sarah said hotly. “It’s the principle of surprising us when we can’t even have a proper rant session with her. Bloody Slytherins!”</p><p>“Love, you <em>are</em> a Slytherin,” Fred noted.</p><p>“I know what I said, darling,” Sarah grumbled. “And adding me as an additional heir? Honestly, that woman was practically asking me for tears!”</p><p>“You haven’t cried yet,” Harry said reassuringly.</p><p>“Just wait until Molly asks what’s wrong,” Sarah warned. “Then you’ll see the waterworks.”</p><p>She and Draco took great comfort in ranting about Narcissa’s behaviour throughout lunch, going so far as to complain to each new person they saw how unfair it was to be surprised in such a manner. Andromeda’s face, when she was suddenly confronted by two disgruntled young adults, was hilarious and Sarah swore that Sirius nearly shit himself laughing when he appeared out of the fireplace.</p><p>Remus, the bloody traitor, used Teddy as a soothing mechanism by placing the young boy in Sarah’s arms, thereby restricting her freedom to gesticulate. Teddy was extremely happy to see her and immediately began to explain what he had gotten for preschool, which was starting in September.</p><p>“And Da and Papa told me that if I’m good, I get a boomstick for Chrismish!” Teddy said excitedly.</p><p>“Broomstick and Christmas, darling,” Sarah corrected, smoothing back Teddy’s hair, which had changed to match the dirty-blond curls that Sarah was sporting today.</p><p>Teddy nodded and powered on, unfazed. “But Grandma gave Da a <em>look</em> when he said it so I dunno if I’ll act-u-lee get it.” Teddy looked extremely proud of his pronunciation of the difficult world.</p><p>“Well, I’m sure your Papa will figure something out,” Sarah said with a bemused glance at Remus, who rolled his eyes in return. “He’s a smart man.”</p><p>“He is!” Teddy agreed enthusiastically. “And he’s going to be a – a – prof – <em>profsor!”</em></p><p>“A professor?” Sarah asked and Teddy nodded happily. “Is he really?” She raised an eyebrow at Remus, who shrugged.</p><p>“I just found out today,” he said. “I’m taking the Defense position again.”</p><p>“That’s wonderful, Remus!” Sarah exclaimed. “But why didn’t you mention it before?”</p><p>“I wasn’t sure if I was going to get it,” he admitted. “Minerva’s had a lot of interested people.”</p><p>“Of course you would have gotten it,” Sarah said, rolling her eyes. “You already got the job once.”</p><p>“Yes, but there’s the slight problem of me being a werewolf,” Remus pointed out. “<em>And</em> I have a child and child-like husband.”</p><p>“Oi! I can hear you!” Sirius called from across the room.</p><p>Sarah and Remus ignored him.</p><p>“Luckily, Minerva has given be Floor access in my office to Grimmauld Place,” Remus continued, as though there had been no interruption. “I’ll come home each night instead of staying at Hogwarts and she can still contact me if needed.”</p><p>“That’s great, I’m really happy for you,” Sarah said, shifting Teddy slightly on her hip. He wasn’t as small as he used to be and at nearly four years old, he was nearly getting too big to be held like this. “I may even bump into you occasionally. I’ll be working with Poppy a few days a week. She requested me and St Mungos has classed it as external experience.”</p><p>“We’ll have to get lunch occasionally,” Remus said. “It’ll be interesting when this one gets to Hogwarts,” he added, nodding his head at Teddy, who was happily playing with a toy and resting against Sarah’s chest. “I have no idea if I’ll still be teaching then.”</p><p>“I think I’d be more worried about the next generation of Weasley’s that will come along,” Sarah said.</p><p>“You know that your future kids count among that,” Remus said with a smirk.</p><p>“Yes, I’m aware,” Sarah said with a sigh. “Although, I would look out for any children Draco has – they’ll be a handful.”</p><p>“Especially if they’re befriended by your kids,” Remus pointed out.</p><p>Sarah turned to address Teddy. “Teddy, will you look out for your younger cousins when you all go to Hogwarts?”</p><p>“I have younger cousins?” Teddy said in excitement. “I thought I only had Victoire! Are you having babies, Sarah?”</p><p>“No, no,” she assured Teddy. “Not any time soon. I guess I walked into that one,” she added to Remus in an undertone.</p><p>Remus snorted and nodded. “Don’t be saying anything like that too loudly or Molly will upon you in a second.”</p><p>“Oh, I forget to tell you,” Sarah said, suddenly remembering her conversation with Fred this morning. “Fred and I are moving into the Manor.”</p><p>“Ah, you’ve finally gotten to that stage,” Remus said with a smile. “Good for you guys.” He looked over his shoulder at where Sirius and Fred were hunched close together in a slightly concerning way and seemed to choose to ignore the potential problem. “You should have a house-warming party when you're settled.”</p><p> “Sounds like a plan,” Sarah said. “I’ll be sure to enlist Narcissa’s help.” Her face darkened as she remembered Narcissa’s surprise and Remus laughed loudly at her, causing Teddy to break out into confused giggles.</p><p>“Try not to give Narcissa too hard a time,” Remus recommended. “She was quite nervous that you’d be mad she was leaving.”</p><p>Sarah’s annoyance drained out of her and she hugged Teddy closer to her body.</p><p>“I’m not angry,” she said, “just sad. I don’t want her to leave.”</p><p>“Well, think of it this way,” Remus said calmly, “I didn’t want you or Draco or Harry to move out but you did. And that was what was best for you guys. Going to France is what’s best for Narcissa right now. And she won’t be alone, Andromeda had decided to stay with her.”</p><p>“She failed to mention that part,” Sarah said, narrowing her eyes across the room at the older woman who was in deep conversation with Hermione and Draco. “That actually makes me feel much better.”</p><p>“You’re ridiculous,” Remus said fondly, reaching over to ruffle Sarah’s hair.</p><p>She batted his hand away and looked up when Molly entered the room, calling everyone to lunch.</p><p>“If I’m going to be completely honest,” she said in a whisper to Remus as they made their way outside where Bill and Arthur had sent up a group of tables, “I may have eaten some of my anger away at the Manor and haven’t recovered. Do you think Molly will notice?”</p><p>“Most likely she’ll think you’re pregnant,” Remus murmured back. “I don’t know what’s worse, that or her being upset that you didn’t eat her cooking.”</p><p>“Oh Merlin,” groaned Sarah. “I’m going to be the least favourite today.”</p><p>“Just keep hold of Teddy and you’ll be fine,” reassured Remus. He turned to his son. “Teddy, would you want to sit with Sarah for lunch?”</p><p>Teddy clapped his hands together and said, “Yes, please Papa! I love big sis!”</p><p>Sarah felt warmth fill her as she looked down at the little boy who was practically her baby brother, who looked so happy at the opportunity of sitting with Sarah for something as trivial as lunch.</p><p>“She loves you too, Ted,” Remus said, smiling knowingly at Sarah. “Just make sure to be careful when you’re eating. I don’t want you getting food all over the two of you.”</p><p>“Yes, Papa!”</p><p>Sarah loved her family.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>“Are you going to explain to me what’s going on now?” Sarah asked for the third time.</p><p>Fred just smirked at her and shook his head.</p><p>“I told you, it’s a surprise,” he said again.</p><p>Sarah rolled her eyes and allowed herself to be pulled along by him. They had Apparated on the outskirts of a forest about ten minutes ago and Sarah still had no clue what was going on.</p><p>“Come onnnn,” she said sweetly. “Just <em>one</em> little hint?”</p><p>Fred grinned at her and shook his head again. Sarah huffed and pouted slightly but the expression soon fell away when they stepped into a decorated clearing that took Sarah’s breath away.</p><p>“Ta da!” Fred said, gesturing proudly around the area.</p><p>Golden lights were strung over the low hanging trees and floating above the ground at random intervals. A large, soft blanket was spread over the grass and was covered in pillows, plates and a picnic basket. The clearing overlooked a valley which was bathed in the soft light of the setting sun, the first few stars twinkling happily down at them.</p><p>“Fred…” Sarah said in awe, turning in a slow circle as she walked into the clearing. “This is <em>stunning</em>.”</p><p>“Why thank you,” Fred said happily.</p><p>“Why on <em>earth</em> - ?”</p><p>“I just wanted to treat you,” he said, stepping up behind her and wrapping his arms around her neck. He kissed her neck and then rested his head on her shoulder as they both looked out over the valley. “You’ve been working really hard over the last few months. Remus mentioned that the hospital wing had been quite crowded recently and Merlin only knows how much work you do at St Mungos.” Fred nuzzled her neck for a moment before continuing. “Not to mention the stress of moving. Even I felt slightly mad by the end of it all.”</p><p>Sarah huffed a laugh at that. They had foolishly agreed to let their friends help them move. Trying to work around Hermione’s suggestions, Blaise’s commentary and Draco and Harry randomly snogging in various rooms was a nightmare and one that Sarah was very glad to be rid of.</p><p>“So, I thought you deserved something nice,” Fred finished.</p><p>Sarah spun around in his arms and grabbed his face in a strong kiss.</p><p>“I love you, you sentimental moron,” she said, resting her forehead against his.</p><p>Fred’s lips twitched upwards as he said, “I know.”</p><p>“You did not just fucking Han Solo me,” Sarah said, drawing back sharply. Harry had come up with the brilliant idea to host movie nights every Saturday and Star Wars had soon become a popular favourite amongst their friends, with requests of it popping up every few months. Neville in particular was quite fond of debating the environments the characters visited.</p><p>Fred laughed loudly and drew her down so that they were sitting cross-legged on the pillows. He reached into the picnic basket and began to withdraw a selection of Sarah’s favourite foods.</p><p>“Mum was all too happy to provide for this,” he commented absently as he filled a plate and handed it to Sarah. “She thinks you work too hard.”</p><p>“She and everyone else I know,” Sarah said fondly, rolling her eyes. “I like my work.”</p><p>“But sometimes you need a break,” Fred said evenly. “Thus, our night of peace.”</p><p>The sun had fully set now and the sky was covered in an intricate pattern of interconnecting stars. Sarah automatically sought out the familiar constellation as she and Fred ate in calm silence.</p><p>After they had finished, Fred produced a wine bottle and glasses seemingly out of thin air and poured Sarah a glass.</p><p>“You’ve thought of everything,” Sarah said in praise. “Next there’ll be a full body massage and a good snog.”</p><p>“Patience, darling,” winked Fred.</p><p>Sarah settled back against his chest and allowed her body to relax for the first time in a while. It was true that Sarah was probably working too much without stopping but she loved her job and wouldn’t change it for everything. Thankfully, Fred was always waiting at home with a hot meal and sweet kiss when she finished her long shifts.</p><p>“So,” she said, swirling her glass slowly and watching as the wine flowed up and down, “how was your day, darling?”</p><p>Fred smirked at her around his own glass and shrugged a shoulder. “Same as usual,” he said. “Verity’s not too happy with the new guy we’ve got. He somehow managed to knock over an entire display of Wizz-Bangs and we had to close the shop for a bit to contain them all.”</p><p>Sarah let out a long whistle. “I would have loved to see Verity’s face. Will you be keeping him on?”</p><p>“Oh, definitely not,” Fred said at once. “I’d not risk V’s wrath for anything. I already told the poor fellow the tragic news.”</p><p>“We should get Verity a bottle of Ogden’s,” suggested Sarah. “Or maybe you could give her a holiday and do some work yourself,” she added in a teasing tone.</p><p>Fred rolled his eyes at her. “If I do that, she’ll get used to the luxury and actually start <em>using</em> the leave she’s acquired.”</p><p>Sarah snorted and shook her head. “Imagine that,” she giggled. “Verity <em>not</em> working.”</p><p>“Almost as unimaginable as you or Draco or Hermione taking a day off,” Fred said brightly.</p><p>Sarah pushed him playfully with one hand.</p><p>They continued to sit in comfortable silence for a while longer until Fred suddenly put his wine glass down and turned to face Sarah with a serious expression on his face. She raised a slight eyebrow at him and set her own empty wine glass aside.</p><p>“Sarah,” Fred said, not looking away from her face, “I’ve been thinking about how to say this for ages and honestly, nothing I ever think of ever really feels right, so I’m just going to go ahead and say it.”</p><p>Sarah watched him warily but he smiled reassuringly at her and she felt some tension leave her body.</p><p>“You know I love you,” Fred continued, “so, so, much. More than I thought I could possibly love anyone and yet somehow, every day I fall more in love with you.”</p><p>Sarah’s heart began to beat rapidly in her chest as Fred reached forward and took both of her hands in his.</p><p>“I couldn’t imagine my life without you,” he went on. “If I ever tried, I’d imagine it would be bleak and empty. You can’t understand the effect you have on me – I can’t help but smile every time I see you or hear your voice. Even after all this time, my heart still beats faster whenever you smile at me or give me a distracted touch, or kiss me. You are my entire world and you make my life so much better by just being in it. Which is why,” he let go of one of her hands and reached into his pocket, drawing out a small, black box. Sarah’s breath caught in her throat and she felt as if she would burst into tears at any second. Fred looked up at her, eyes shining, and opened the box to reveal a stunning thin golden band with a low set rose atop it, intricate leaves bordering it. Ruby and emerald glimmered happily in the golden light. “I want to ask whether you would give me everything and become my wife, my partner forever, the one person I know I will never have to be anyone but myself with.”</p><p>Sarah felt tears prick her eyes as she looked into Fred’s gleaming brown eyes. He quirked his familiar crooked smile at her and Sarah’s lips broke out into an answering one.</p><p>“Yes,” she whispered. “Yes, of course! Yes!” she said louder, throwing her arms around Fred’s neck and rocking them back slightly. She pressed a shaky kiss to his lips, allowing Fred to pull her left hand towards him when they separated, the ring sliding to fit perfectly on her finger.</p><p>“I would never want to be with anyone but you,” she told him, stroking his face with her free hand. She laughed slightly hysterically as she held him, pressing kisses to his face. “Merlin, I – you <em>surprised me</em>, you bastard! You nearly gave me a heart attack!” Fred laughed loudly and pulled her closer for another kiss, still beaming when she drew back. “I was even planning on proposing to <em>you</em>!” she cried, barely caring that a few tears had slipped free. “Merlin, ‘Mione’s going to be disappointed you beat me to it. She really believes in the modern conception of women having a more active role in decisions such as these.”</p><p>“Good old Hermione,” Fred said, his eyes soft as he gazed at Sarah. She had never felt such love wash over her – but then she realised that of course she had, it was in all of Fred’s actions, every little thing he did for her that would seem insignificant but actually meant the world to her.</p><p>“So, this is what all of this was for,” Sarah said with a smirk, indicating the lights and the food.</p><p>Fred shrugged unapologetically and kissed her cheek. “I also thought you deserved a break. Although,” he checked the time on his wand and winked at her, “the night isn’t over yet. Come on.”</p><p>“What about all of the stuff?” Sarah said as Fred helped her to her feet.</p><p>“Don’t worry about that,” he said, wrapping his arms around her waist. “Narcissa will deal with it.”</p><p>They were suddenly lost in the whirlwind of Apparation before reappearing inside the Manor.</p><p>“You didn’t,” Sarah said, glancing down the hallway where she could hear low chatter drifting out to them.</p><p>“I might have,” Fred smirked.</p><p>“Completely un-fucking-believable,” she muttered, unable to contain her wide smile.</p><p>Sarah followed under the sweeping staircase and through to the back of the Manor, where the patio doors were open to reveal a large group of people milling outside, the same golden lights from the clearing strung upon white, interconnecting arbours, mingling prettily with the soft white and pink flowers.</p><p>A cry went up from the group as Sarah and Fred were spotted. Beaming faces appeared before them as hugs were exchanged and tears were shed. Hermione was shamelessly sobbing as Pansy handed her a handkerchief, her own dark eyes suspiciously shiny.</p><p>When they finally broke free, Draco was there, standing with a soft smile on his face. Sarah immediately collapsed into his arms and held him tightly as the others gave them some privacy.</p><p>“You’re getting married,” Draco whispered into her ear.</p><p>“Crazy, isn’t it?” she agreed. She burrowed deeper into his arms and knew that he would always be the one constant in her life. No matter what happened, they would always be Sarah and Draco, two best friends who would fight through hell for each other.</p><p>“It seems like just yesterday that you were a blushing mess over realising you liked him,” Draco laughed, leaning back slightly so that they could look at each other.</p><p>“Don’t even get me started on what you were like with Harry,” Sarah said. “Honestly, in comparison, my blushing was barely noticeable.”</p><p>They stood like that for a moment longer, simply smiling at each other.</p><p>“You’ll always be my number one,” Draco said in a serious voice. “You know that right? Even though we’re all getting on with our lives, nothing will change that. I don’t care if I have to fight your husband, we’re still having time for us.”</p><p>“You won’t have to fight him,” Sarah assured. “He knows how important you are to me. And besides,” she added mischievously, “who says I want to spend all that time with you? Maybe I just want to lay in bed with Fred having <em>glorious</em> sex all day – “</p><p>“I don’t care if I have to drag you away from him butt-naked,” Draco interrupted. “You’ll bloody well sit down and listen to my problems. Harry has a habit of day-dreaming without realising it and my superb oratory skills are wasted on him.”</p><p>Sarah laughed and tightened her arms around Draco’s neck, kissing his cheek before resting her head on his shoulder, his head falling on top of hers.</p><p>“I love you, Draco,” she said.</p><p>“I love you, too, Sarah.”</p><p>Twinkling silver eyes met pale green ones as they released each other.</p><p>“How long do you think I can avoid Sirius and Remus before they just summon me to them?” Sarah asked, spotting the pair eyeing Sarah intently, Teddy crawling at their feet.</p><p>“I doubt you’ll last five minutes,” Draco said. “Although, it might be less considering you’ll also have to dodge my mother and Molly Weasley.”</p><p>“Scratch that,” Sarah said, laughing at the bear-like black that was racing toward them. “Sirius is coming over now.”</p><p>Before she could even do more than blink, Sirius (now back in his human form), had grabbed her around the waist and hauled her over his shoulder, spinning around to lead her back to Remus. Draco narrowly missed getting hit by Sarah’s feet and waved brightly at them despite Sarah’s laughed cry for help.</p><p>Sarah could see Fred’s upside-down face howling with laughter as Theo, Blaise and Ron all gasped for breath, barely managed to hold onto their drinks.</p><p>“Sirius, put me down,” Sarah said with a pout. “I’m twenty-two! I can walk on my own!”</p><p>“Not until you talk to Remus and me,” Sirius said determinedly. “I saw you contemplating avoiding us.”</p><p>Sarah huffed a laugh as she was finally placed back on solid ground. Immediately, Remus had enveloped her in a tight hug, his musty, parchment scent familiar to Sarah.</p><p>“I’m so happy for you,” he said brightly, drawing back.</p><p>“You knew,” she said with a pointed look. “I know for a fact that Fred would have spoken to you two first.”</p><p>“Of course, he did,” Sirius said dramatically. “But that doesn’t stop us from tearing up seeing our little girl grow older.” He wiped at his dry eyes and sagged exaggeratedly against his husband. “Moony, my heart can’t take this. We should never have let her out of the house.”</p><p>Remus smirked and stepped calmly to the side, causing Sirius to stumble and fall; Teddy immediately jumped onto his chest and began laughing loudly.</p><p>Sarah looked down fondly at her pseudo-father and brother as Remus slung an arm around her shoulders.</p><p>“I would usually threaten that if Fred doesn’t treat you right we’d kill him,” he said with a smile. “But I don’t think we’re going to need to worry about that.”</p><p>“Besides,” Sirius said, slightly breathlessly from the weight of a child on his chest, “we’ll only be left with whatever remains after Draco is done with him. And that boy’s scary.”</p><p>Sarah rolled her eyes. “Draco is not a <em>boy</em> anymore.”</p><p>“Oh, so did he suddenly turn into a girl?” Sirius said innocently. “I don’t think Harry would like that very much.”</p><p>Sarah and Remus snorted and looked over their shoulders to where Draco was standing in front of Fred, smirking widely as he talked, Fred’s face growing more and more horrified with each word. Harry was standing beside Draco, his face twitching, whether from an attempt to not laugh or grimace, Sarah wasn’t sure.</p><p>“I’d better go save my fiancé from Draco,” Sarah said, unable to stop the sappy smile that lit her face at the word <em>fiancé</em>.</p><p>Sirius got up from the ground and passed her Teddy.</p><p>“Take him,” he said. “You’ll be less likely to be contained for too long.”</p><p>Teddy smiled up at Sarah and gently touched the ring on her finger.</p><p>“Will you be going permanently away now?” Teddy asked quietly. “Will I still get to see you?”</p><p>Sarah’s heart constricted slightly and she tilted Teddy’s face up so that he was looking at her. His usual blue hair slowly turned to match Sarah’s auburn.</p><p>“Darling, you’ll always be able to see me,” Sarah said. “I’m not going away. I’m still living in my house. Now, though, you’ll have another big brother. Fred will be my husband.”</p><p>“Like Da and Papa?” Teddy asked, a small finger tugging on one of Sarah’s curls.</p><p>“Exactly like Da and Papa,” Sarah nodded. “Fred and I love each other very much. But that doesn’t make me love you any less.”</p><p>Teddy nodded slowly and then smiled brightly at her. “Ok then. Good!”</p><p>Sarah booped his nose and he giggled. “Now, why don’t we go save Fred from Draco? Draco is looking scary.”</p><p>“Scary Draco!” cried Teddy, laughing excitedly. For some reason, scary Draco was one of Teddy’s favourites. Sarah would never understand how that kid’s mind worked. She rolled her eyes exaggeratedly at Remus and Sirius as she walked toward the other group, the pair smirking at her in response.</p><p>People waved and called out to her as she went and she stopped to allow Narcissa to draw her in for a hug and a kiss on the cheek.</p><p>“My darling girl,” Narcissa said quietly. “How the time flies.”</p><p>Fred looked extremely relieved when Sarah appeared beside them. He wrapped an arm around her waist and she leaned slightly into him.</p><p>“So, how has Draco been threatening you?” she asked brightly. “You looked as if you may vomit at one point.”</p><p>“Very funny,” Fred said drily. “And I don’t wish to repeat it. Let’s just say that he’s got a sadistic streak hidden in him.”</p><p>Sarah looked at Fred in disbelief. “<em>Hidden in him</em>?” she said shrilly. “Have you <em>met</em> Draco? He’s completely sadistic. The only person worse is Pansy.”</p><p>“Excuse you,” Draco said haughtily as Harry snickered beside him. “You are plenty more sadistic than me and we all know it.”</p><p>“You can’t reveal my secret like that,” Sarah stage whispered. “Fred actually wants to marry me. Don’t scare him away.”</p><p>“Babe, I saw you destroy a wave of giant spiders,” Fred said, dropping a kiss to her head. “Nothing could scare me away.”</p><p>“So sweet, you two,” Harry said with a shit-eating grin. “I’m can practically taste the cartoon hearts and confetti.”</p><p>“Alright,” Sarah said loudly, passing Teddy over to Harry, “you’ve officially won yourself toddler duty. He hasn’t eaten I don’t think.”</p><p>Harry had the nerve to wave Teddy’s hands at Sarah in response, both of them smiling brightly.</p><p>“Has Mum cornered you yet?” Fred asked Sarah as Draco began making faces at Teddy while Harry tried to hold the struggling boy. “I saw Narcissa talk to you.”</p><p>“She hasn’t,” Sarah replied. “I thought we’d find her together.”</p><p>“Smart idea,” Fred said, peering across the crowd. “All right, love, ready?”</p><p>They spent the next hour or so speaking to everyone. Molly had burst into loud sobs as she hugged them both, eventually needing to be gently led away by Charlie, who winked at them and gave them hearty claps on the shoulders. Seamus and Dean loped over with matching grins, pulling the pair into rough hugs and handing them glasses of champagne. Ginny, Luna and Daphne kissed them both on the cheeks before spiriting away toward the food.</p><p>Andromeda intercepted them at one point, Narcissa with her and offered Sarah and Fred her congratulations.</p><p>“Thank you again, Narcissa, for all your help with this,” Fred said suddenly. “Everything was perfect.”</p><p>“What – wait, do you mean – the clearing?” Sarah asked in surprise. She turned to Narcissa. “You set it up?”</p><p>Narcissa winked at Sarah.</p><p>“I thought I mentioned that?” Fred said, before shrugging. “I asked her for help and she told me she’d organise it all. We just needed a day when you were free.”</p><p>“Yes, it was particularly difficult making sure everyone was available,” Narcissa said with slight amusement. “Especially considering that you never seem to do anything but work.”</p><p>“I relax sometimes!” Sarah argued.</p><p>Andromeda, Narcissa and Fred all looked at her with matching disbelieving expressions, eyebrows raised.</p><p>“All right, fine,” she acquiesced. “Leave me alone.”</p><p>The rest of the night passed quite quickly and soon people began to trickle home. Sarah was quite amused to see Blaise leaving with Parvati Patil, a smug grin on his face. The Weasleys all offered warm goodbyes with promises of seeing them the coming Sunday, and then Sirius and Remus left with Andromeda and Teddy, leaving only Narcissa, Harry, Draco, Ron, Hermione, Fred and Sarah. Narcissa soon disappeared back into the house, leaving the young adults alone to recline on beanbags near the low fireplace.</p><p>Harry sat up slightly and held his glass up for a toast.</p><p>“To Sarah and Fred,” he said, his emerald eyes sparkling in the firelight. “I’ll save the rest of it for your wedding.”</p><p>Sarah laughed and raised her glass high, glancing at Fred beside her with a smile as her closest friends toasted them in the quiet night.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter Five</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>January 2003</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>Harry watched in delighted awe as Sarah walked toward the end of the aisle, her arm linked tightly through Remus’s, a lovely melodic tune swirling around the open space. Her long auburn hair was loose down her back, delicate white flowers interwoven in a complicated pattern Harry was sure Luna was responsible for. Her dress hugged her figure and fell to the floor in a simple, soft waterfall of ivory fabric, silk detailing glimmering slightly in the sparkling lights shining above them all.</p><p>Sarah was breathtaking. Utterly breathtaking.</p><p>She had always been gorgeous, but the smile that lit up her face seemed to blur everything around them until the bright aquamarine of her eyes was the only thing you could see. Harry was not surprised that Fred looked as though someone has slapped him across the face. He had never seen the other man look as happy as he was now.</p><p>Sarah’s eyes caught Harry’s and she smiled even wider at him, causing his own smile to brighten. Beside him, Draco looked as if he had never seen anything as wonderful in his entire life. Harry knew that his fiancé was beyond ecstatic for his best friend, standing proudly in the place as her gentleman of honour. Pansy, on Harry’s other side, dabbed at her eyes in an uncharacteristic display of emotion. Hermione, of course, was crying just as freely as Draco and smiled at Harry when he caught her eye. Across from them, Bill, Charlie, Ron and Percy beamed at Sarah as she drew closer, their smiles matching those of the rest of the crowd. Molly, Narcissa and Sirius were already crying silently in the front row.</p><p>Sarah and Remus reached the front of the aisle and Remus hugged her tightly, kissing her cheek and whispering something into her ear. Sarah grinned in return and then turned toward Fred, who held out one hand with the largest smile on his face.</p><p>The couple stood close together as the Kingsley began to speak, his deep voice echoing across the forest clearing, magically heated and protected against the gently falling snow. Harry reached a hand forward to grasp Draco’s in his own when the other man began to cry, still smiling broadly at the proceedings.</p><p>The guests let out gasps of <em>‘ohhhs</em>’ when Teddy stepped forward with the rings, the five-year old hugging his sister around the stomach before moving to stand beside Harry. Harry put a proud hand on the boy’s shoulder and felt his own tears fall from his eyes as Sarah and Fred were announced husband and wife, drawing each other in for a sweet kiss.</p><p>Applause broke out as they separated, with Sarah immediately grabbing Draco in a tight embrace as Fred was clapped on the back and hugged by his brothers. The chairs cleared away for a dance floor and the everyone began spreading out.</p><p>“Congratulations,” Harry said thickly, pulling Sarah tightly against him.</p><p>“Just think,” she said brightly back, “in a few months, it’ll be you there and me sobbing messily behind you.”</p><p>Harry laughed and released her. “You look absolutely stunning.”</p><p>“Of course, I do,” Sarah said gleefully. “I had the best designer to do my dress and my best friend do my makeup. You’ll never believe how surprised I was when Draco finished, I never knew he was so talented at makeup.”</p><p>“Please stop embarrassing me,” Draco sniffed from beside them. “I’m already crying like a bloody girl.”</p><p>“Embrace your emotions, Draco,” Hermione said, wiping her own eyes. “Fight against masculine oppression and stereotypes.”</p><p>“Come on, newly-weds,” Ron said loudly behind them, slinging an arm around Sarah and Fred’s shoulder. “You have a dance to do.”</p><p>Harry watched with a soft smile as Fred led Sarah onto the dancefloor, Sarah eyeing him warily and saying, “Don’t step on my feet this time, darling. I swear the last practice was worse than when we started…”</p><p>An arm slipped around his waist as the music started and Harry turned to see Draco smiling at him, his silver eyes bright and slightly red from crying.</p><p>“Sarah was right,” he said quietly, staring intently into Harry’s eyes. “This will be us soon.”</p><p>“Don’t even think about trying to get rid of me,” Harry whispered, kissing Draco softly.</p><p>“Never,” Draco promised and they turned back to watch the couple’s first dance.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>June 2003</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>Just as Sarah had predicted five months earlier, she did sob messily as Draco and Harry exchanged their vows. Not that Pansy or Hermione were in any better shape. She thought she even saw a tear escape Blaise’s eye before the other man subtly wiped it away.</p><p>Watching as her two best friends promised themselves to each other for life, Sarah couldn’t help but thank whatever luck they had that they all made it to this place. Sarah and Fred were happily married, Ron and Hermione were already discussing children, Pansy had become rather attached to a French diplomat after her and Millicent’s split a few years back. Everyone was finally moving on with their lives and most importantly, they were <em>happy</em>. Sirius and Remus looked ten years younger than they were, despite that chaotic five-year-old they had running around their legs. Molly and Arthur got to see their family expand and now Sunday lunches were larger than ever. Narcissa was happily settled in France with Andromeda and Sarah and Draco visited quite frequently.</p><p>The wedding was gorgeous.</p><p>Instead of having it in a snowy forest clearing like Sarah had, Draco and Harry had chosen to have a gathering in the Manor grounds. They had properly moved in there after Narcissa had left for France, with Sarah and Fred moving into her family Manor. Harry had decided to keep his parents’ old house for Teddy or his own children.</p><p>Lights were strung all around the trees and hung suspended in midair, the summer afternoon sun warming them as a cool breeze drifted by. Draco had been very particular about what he wanted and Harry, being the smart man that he was, had left all the planning up to his fiancé, Sarah and Hermione. Although, Sarah was still laughing over the fact that he had taken the opportunity to startle Draco by adding a chocolate fountain at the last minute.</p><p>Sarah dabbed at her eyes and beamed as Draco and Harry walked back down the aisle, holding each other’s hands tightly and waving at the guests. Luckily, the Manor wards kept out any unwanted reporters or admirers, so it was only close family and friends gathered there. The wedding party and guests all dispersed as music began to play and food appeared.</p><p>“Sarah!”</p><p>Sarah looked up as Draco raced toward her, his smile nearly blinding her as his white suit glimmered golden in the light. He swept her up in a tight embrace, twirling her around as they both laughed loudly.</p><p>“I’m married!” Draco exclaimed. “And to a Gryffindor, who would have imagined?”</p><p>“Definitely my third-year self,” she replied with a smirk. “You were besotted.”</p><p>“Oh, fuck off,” Draco said, a blush creeping up his face.</p><p>“Tell me I’m wrong,” teased Sarah.</p><p>“So, how have you been going avoiding Molly and Mother’s hints about children?” Draco said, effectively changing the subject with a smirk.</p><p>Sarah groaned and sagged against him. “If I hear one more question about when I’m planning on getting pregnant, I may just stay childless for spite.”</p><p>Draco laughed joyfully and shook his head in commiseration.</p><p>“Don’t worry, darling,” he said reassuringly. “Mother has been saying the same thing to me and Harry. She keeps mentioning surrogacy and muggle clinics, if you can believe it.”</p><p>“We will have children when we want children,” Sarah said passionately. “I haven’t even enjoyed a full year of marriage yet. I just want to fuck my husband in peace without worrying about little witnesses!”</p><p>“Too much information,” Draco groaned.</p><p>“What?” Sarah said with a smirk. “Are you telling me you’re not going to take every opportunity to fuck <em>your</em> <em>husband</em> all over the house?”</p><p>“Well, I wasn’t going to <em>tell</em> you that,” Draco replied smugly. “It was just expected.”</p><p>“When would be a safe time to visit?”</p><p>“Wait at least a month after our honeymoon. By then we should be sated enough to say hello for a few minutes.”</p><p>“But no innuendos or cheeky comments?”</p><p>“Not unless you want us to excuse ourselves for five minutes.”</p><p>“Only five minutes? How disappointing.” Sarah was smiling widely by this point and Draco had a matching grin on his face.</p><p>They looked at each other for a moment longer before bursting into uncontrollable laughter. Struggling for breath, they held each other up as Harry and Fred approached them.</p><p>“Do we even want to know what put you in this state?” Harry asked, slipping his arm around Draco’s waist and drawing his new husband tight against him.</p><p>“Not unless you want to end up ditching your own wedding reception to deal with the result,” Draco said with a smirk, kissing Harry’s cheek.</p><p>“Don’t worry,” Sarah said, barely struggling to keep her voice even, “apparently you’ll only need five minutes.”</p><p>Unfortunately, that set both her and Draco off again and left Harry and Fred looking at them with fond expressions of exasperation.</p><p>“Sometimes, I worry that we’re the mature ones here,” Fred commented lightly. “And that worries me immensely.”</p><p>“We’ll be fine,” Harry said with a smirk. “We have Hermione.”</p><p>“Thank Merlin.”</p><p>“Can we go have cake now, darling?” Draco asked Harry, having finally gotten his breath back. “I spent much too long choosing the flavour to miss out.”</p><p>“Especially when you consider that he finally settled on Belgium chocolate,” Sarah added, rolling her eyes.</p><p>“Shush you,” Draco scolded. “It was your fault I didn’t have time to try all the others. If you hadn’t gotten ill from eating all the samples – “</p><p>“Alright, you can stop there,” Sarah interrupted. “That was not one of my finest moments.”</p><p>The other three laughed brightly and Sarah watched them all, their figures illuminated by the setting sun. She knew in that moment that no matter what, they would always have each other, and glancing over at Hermione and Ron’s approaching figures, Sarah couldn’t have been happier.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>August 2008</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>“So I accepted the position at Hogwarts.”</p><p>Sarah paused with the spoon still raised towards Hugo’s gaping mouth. He babbled at her and tried reaching forward for it but Sarah wasn’t paying attention. She was staring at Harry in surprise.</p><p>“Told Minerva today,” Harry continued, oblivious to her shock. “She looked so relieved. Apparently, the current Cultures professor is less than preferable. It’ll be interesting to go back, of course – “</p><p>“You’re just telling me this now?” Sarah exclaimed shrilly.</p><p>Hugo cried at her and she quickly pushed the spoon of mush into his mouth. He happily grabbed at it and began sucking.</p><p>Sarah turned back to Harry with an unimpressed look on her face. Leaning back against the wooden chair, she crossed her arms over her chest and scowled at Harry.</p><p>He shrugged sheepishly at her.</p><p>“I didn’t want to mention it until I knew I’d get the position,” he said, scratching the back of his head. Sarah was pleased to notice that Draco had finally managed to get Harry to get another haircut – the chin-length mess he had previously needed to go. Now it was cut close to his head and styled on the top.</p><p>“Draco knew,” Harry continued. “Obviously. We’ve been talking about how to manage the kids with me in Scotland and him in London. I’ll probably try to come home each night unless Minerva needs me. It’ll be nice to work with Remus though.” Ever since Remus had started working at Hogwarts, he had been trying to implement a class that would help muggleborns and half-bloods integrate into wizarding society. It was also an opportunity for purebloods to be exposed to Muggle culture. He had finally succeeded a few years ago and apparently now Harry was taking the job as the professor while Remus continued as Defense professor.</p><p>“If my nephew wasn’t sitting here I’d be telling you what I’m really thinking,” Sarah threatened Harry. Hugo giggled appropriately.</p><p>“Says you,” Harry said with a smirk. “You waited ages to tell us you were pregnant with the twins.”</p><p>“That was three years ago, get over it!”</p><p>“Ma?”</p><p>They both turned to the entrance of the kitchen to see Lyra standing against the doorpost, one hand tugging at the strawberry blond curls fanning her face.</p><p>“Yes, sweetie?” Sarah said, sitting up so the two-year-old could clamber onto her lap.</p><p>“Teddy said that he was leaving us soon,” Lyra muttered. “I don’t want him to leave.”</p><p>Sarah shared a look with Harry and he shrugged. Helpful, that one. She turned back to her daughter and smoothed the stray curls away from her face.</p><p>“Darling, Teddy won’t be leaving for another year,” she said soothingly. “And he’ll just be going to school. You will still see him on holidays.”</p><p>When her words didn’t seem to be achieving more than making Lyra more upset, Sarah added, “And you’ll still have Orion, James, Scorpius, Albus and Rose. And Hugo, too, once he gets bigger.”</p><p>“But Hugo’s a baby,” whined Lyra. “He can’t play with us.”</p><p>“He’ll be able to soon,” promised Sarah. She spun Lyra around until the girl was facing Harry and Hugo, her back pressed against Sarah. “Look – he’s even trying to listen to what we’re saying. Aren’t you, Hugo?”</p><p>Hugo clapped his hands and burbled, a bit of spittle dripping from his chin.</p><p>“Babies are messy,” cringed Lyra as Harry cleaned Hugo. “I definitely wasn’t that messy.”</p><p>Sarah remembered the early shit-filled mornings and wisely decided to revisit the topic in a few years.</p><p>“Of course not, dear,” she said instead, pecking Lyra’s head. “Your brother on the other hand…”</p><p>Lyra giggled in delight and held tightly to Sarah. Even after having the twins two years ago and seeing Harry and Draco’s boys grow up, Sarah still hadn’t gotten over the fact that she was a <em>mother</em> and an aunt, a godmother, a <em>responsible adult</em>. This little pile of a human sitting in Sarah’s lap was so dependable on her and Sarah hadn’t known she could love something quite as much as she loved her children.</p><p>The look Harry was giving her across the table told Sarah that he knew exactly what she was thinking. Sarah could remember the way his face had lit up in pure joy when he held James for the first, or when Luna had given birth to the twins and Draco could do nothing but sob at the little green eyes staring back at him. At least they hadn’t collapsed during the birth itself, unlike Fred, who had had to be revived by Hermione as Sarah laying screaming on the table. Good memories.</p><p>“Lunch is ready!”</p><p>Molly Weasley’s amplified voice echoed throughout the Burrow and Lyra wiggled in excitement until Sarah put her on the ground. Instead of running off, however, Lyra looked at her with big, round hazel eyes and wordlessly held her arms up. Sarah smirked at Harry, who had Hugo securely in his arms, and lifted her daughter onto her hip.</p><p>“Will I be allowed some dessert?” Lyra asked as they walked through the house to outside, where the rest of the family was already gathering at the large tables set up on the lawn.</p><p>“Depends on if you finish all your lunch,” Sarah said, placing Lyra down on a seat at the kid’s table. It looked as if Ron had drawn the short straw today and was supervising the children. He was glancing helplessly towards Hermione, who was happily sitting beside Draco and deep in conversation.</p><p>“Don’t let Ori leave his vegetables,” Sarah told Ron, ruffling her son’s hair as she passed. Orion grinned toothily up at her in response before turning back to his conversation with Scorpius, which looked like it included lots of strange creatures and big explosions.</p><p>Sarah sighed as she slouched into the free seat beside Fred, her husband leaning over to kiss her hair briefly.</p><p>“Good chat with Harry?” he asked as she began serving herself some of Molly’s famous food.</p><p>“Yes,” she replied. “Until he suddenly dropped the news that he was going to be working at Hogwarts this year.”</p><p>Fred choked slightly on a bean and Ginny calmly thumped his back from his other side without even looking over.</p><p>“Seriously?” he gasped when he was in less danger of dying. “He took the job?”</p><p>“You <em>knew</em>?” Sarah exclaimed, looking at Fred in shock. “And you didn’t mention it to me?”</p><p>“Well, I was in Hogsmeade for business a while back and I bumped into him,” Fred explained, informing Sarah’s smouldering eyes.</p><p>“<em>HARRY JAMES POTTER</em>!” she bellowed, turning to look across the table at Harry, who looked like a dear caught in headlights.</p><p>“That’s Potter-Malfoy, love,” Draco commented from beside Harry, completely unconcerned for his husband’s future.</p><p>“How come Fred knew about the job and <em>I still didn’t?</em>”</p><p>“Oh, shit…”</p><p>“Oh, shit indeed!”</p><p>“Ha, ha, oh shit!”</p><p>All the adults turned to look at the kids' table in shocked horror as Orion giggled happily, completely oblivious to the effect his words had on them.</p><p>Molly turned to Sarah and Harry and gave them unimpressed looks.</p><p>“I think that’s the record for the youngest kid to swear,” Charlie commented casually from the other end of the table. “Not surprising it’s Fred’s kid, really.”</p><p>Sarah groaned and dropped her head into her hands as everyone burst into laughter around the table. Fred’s hand was rubbing her back in a commiserating manner. She knew she’d never hear the end of this. By the end of the day, all the kids would know the new phrase and then probably spend the night crying after been disciplined by their parents.</p><p>“Don’t worry, Sarah,” Remus said comfortingly from her other side. “Teddy asked Sirius and me the other day what sex was. You have that to look forward to.”</p><p>“Remus, remind me if that’s meant to be comforting or not?” she asked, turning her head to peer at her godfather, who simply smirked and shrugged.</p><p>“Just the beauty of parenthood,” he said.</p><p>But as another round of ‘<em>oh shits’</em> came from the kids' table, Sarah had to disagree with that sentiment as she got to her feet, resigning herself to teaching a lesson on appropriate and inappropriate words.</p><p>Merlin, she loved being a parent.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>September 2017</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>The bustle of King’s Cross Station hadn’t changed from the last time Sarah had been here, two years ago. James had been ecstatic to finally have been going off to Hogwarts, even if his younger siblings and cousins had sulked the entire time.</p><p>Sarah stood in front of the large, scarlet steam engine and watched with a smile on her face as Lyra helped Orion lug his trunk onto the train. James stood behind them in the corridor and disappeared as soon as the trunk was safely on board.</p><p>Fred stood beside her, one arm around her waist as they watched their children excitedly chatter with Harry, Draco, Hermione and Ron’s kids.</p><p>“It’s going to be a hectic group, this one,” Harry said with a long-suffering sigh.</p><p>“Well, at least you and Sarah will be there to keep an eye on them,” Ron said.</p><p>Sarah had taken over running the Hospital Wing when Poppy retired the previous year. Even though she was slightly sad to leave her job as St Mungos, she loved Hogwarts. And Harry had practically begged her not to leave him alone when their brood of children descended upon the school.</p><p>“Minerva nearly fainted when she saw that they all were in the same year,” Sarah mentioned with a smirk. “Poor woman thinks they’re going to be just like us.”</p><p>“Well, she’s not wrong,” Hermione said. “I bet anything that Scorp, Al and Lyra will end up in Slytherin and Ori and Rose in Gryffindor with Jamie.”</p><p>“Nah, ‘course not,” Ron said. “Rosie will definitely be in Ravenclaw. She’s got your brains.”</p><p>“Yes, but did you see her last Sunday lunch?” Hermione argued. “I know it was her that convinced them all to climb that tree. It was a miracle that only Al got hurt.”</p><p>Draco scoffed. “I think you’re underestimating the Slytherin in her,” he said. “No way she could have convinced them all to do it without an ounce of cunning.”</p><p>“I love how no one’s arguing that both our boys are going to end up in Slytherin,” Harry commented, squeezing Draco’s hand.</p><p>“Well, of course not,” Draco replied in exasperation. “Those two are nearly more Slytherin than Sarah and me. Add in Lyra and you’ve got a terrifying trio.”</p><p>“Don’t forget that Blaise’s daughter is starting as well,” Fred reminded them. “And didn’t Pansy decide to send her kids here instead of France?”</p><p>“Oh, Minerva is so going to be having fun this year,” sighed Sarah happily.</p><p>“Ma!”</p><p>Sarah looked up as Lyra, Orion, Scorpius, Albus and James all raced toward them. She caught Lyra as the young girl threw herself at her mother, hugging her tightly around the waist.</p><p>“James got us a compartment so we can all sit together!” Lyra exclaimed. She pulled back and moved to hug her father, who ruffled her black hair fondly. Both the twins had inherited Sarah’s metamorphmagus skills and had delighted themselves in changing parts of their appearance nearly daily.</p><p>“We passed the food trolley on the way back – they’ve got so much stuff!” Orion exclaimed, his grey eyes sparkling. He had announced that morning that he wanted to match James’ eyes so that they looked like real brothers. Lyra had gone with a green identical to Scorpius and Albus’ eyes. with Albus's black hair (identical to Harry's), he and Lyra looked like twins. Scorpius's blond hair stook out in stark contrast but Orion had fixed that by making his own hair a white-blond, resulting in him looking startlingly similar to Draco.</p><p>“You just had breakfast!” Fred said with a laugh, drawing his son in for a hug.</p><p>“Yeah, but I’m still hungry,” Orion argued. “Uncle Ron said it was okay.”</p><p>They all turned to face Ron, who looked up from where he was speaking with Rose and shrugged apologetically.</p><p>“Kid’s gotta eat, I say,” he muttered.</p><p>“Bloody Weasley genes,” Sarah sighed. She turned back to the boys in front of her. “Fine, you can all get something from the trolley. Just remember you have the welcome feast tonight and I won’t have you spoiling your appetites.”</p><p>“Yes, Ma!”</p><p>“Sure, Sarah!”</p><p>Sarah rolled her eyes fondly at the children and hugged them all, smiling brightly when they all pressed kisses to her cheeks. The other parents also said goodbye and soon they were waving at the pile of kids huddled in the doorway.</p><p>“Harry and I will see you tonight!” Sarah called brightly. “Have a good trip!”</p><p>“Please stay out of trouble!” Draco said. “I don’t want to have to come to Hogwarts after finding out you’ve blown up a bathroom or something.”</p><p>“We weren’t planning on it but that’s a great idea, Father!” James said with a smirk. How that boy ever got Gryffindor still escaped Sarah.</p><p>“Jamie, don’t antagonise your father,” Harry said, his lips fighting down a smile.</p><p>“Sorry, Dad!”</p><p>“Bye, Dad, bye Father, bye other Dad and Mum!” Sarah always loved the greeting and farewell that Harry and Draco’s sons had bestowed upon Sarah and Fred.</p><p>“Bye Mother! By Father!” Lyra and Orion shouted as the train began to move.</p><p>Rose echoed the goodbye to her own parents and then the train was gaining speed, steadily moving away from the platform, all the children still waving excitedly out of the window.</p><p>Sarah sighed and leant back against Fred, staring at where the train had disappeared around a bend.</p><p>“Come on, love,” he said, pressing a kiss to her hair. “Let’s go home.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Le Fin</strong>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>It's over. I'm crying ahhhhh</p><p> </p><p>I love you all so much. This took so long to complete omg.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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